E-Scooter Accidents in Ontario

Published: May 10, 2021 | Last Reviewed: August 13, 2026

In cities across the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world, municipally contracted rideshare services give commuters access to a fast, affordable, environmentally friendly, and fun mode of transportation. The electric scooter, or e-scooter, has revolutionized the way thousands of people travel locally. These motorized, stand-up scooters are used for both leisure and short-distance travel. Ontarians are also seeing increased use of e-scooters in municipalities that permit them.

Key Takeaways: E-Scooters in Ontario

• Ontario’s e-scooter pilot, originally launched January 1, 2020, has officially been extended to November 27, 2029. It lets individual municipalities opt in or out; riders must be at least 16, devices are capped at 500 watts and 24 km/hr, and riders under 18 must wear a helmet, but legality still depends on whether the local municipality has opted in. This
• E-scooters remain legal to buy even in cities that have not opted into the pilot, such as Toronto, so retailers can sell them where riding one on public roads is illegal, creating a gap in which people ride illegally owned scooters anyway.
• Injured riders or pedestrians hit by an e-scooter can pursue medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, ongoing care, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, and pain and suffering through a negligence claim, particularly in hit-and-run cases.
• E-scooter rideshare companies’ terms of service often require users to accept liability for damage they cause, meaning riders without personal liability insurance can be personally on the hook for a substantial settlement if they injure someone.

Similar to bike-share services offered in cities across the province, e-scooter rideshare programs let service subscribers rent an e-scooter for a short period of time. Many mobile-based e-scooter rideshare programs operate without installing docking stations around the cities in which they operate. That means that, once a person’s recreational ride or commute via e-scooter is complete, they can leave the e-scooter in a permitted parking area for its next rider to collect. Riders can be directed to the nearest available e-scooter through the service’s app, which can also be used to unlock the device.

While the pilot continues in participating municipalities across Ontario, retailers are still able to sell e-scooters to individual riders, regardless of whether they are legal to ride in public locally. People who have purchased their own e-scooter may practice using it on private property, but they must follow the rules of the municipality where they intend to ride.

However, road safety experts warn of the dangers involved with introducing e-scooters as a mode of local transportation. Looking at the number and types of injuries reported in American and European cities, it is clear that local public health officials have reason to be concerned.

E-scooter riding can be dangerous, both for the person operating the device and for the people around them. If you have been injured while riding an e-scooter, or if someone riding an e-scooter injured you, you may be eligible to pursue damages resulting from your injuries. To learn how an Ontario personal injury lawyer may be able to assist you, book a consultation with Preszler Injury Lawyers today.

Is It Legal To Ride An E-Scooter In Ontario?

Ontario’s provincial e-scooter pilot began on January 1, 2020, and has been extended to November 27, 2029. The regulation made under the Highway Traffic Act requires e-scooters to be equipped with a bell or horn and an electric motor of no more than 500 watts. E-scooters cannot exceed a speed of 24 km/hr. Riders must be at least 16 years old, and riders under 18 are required to wear a helmet.

However, whether you are legally allowed to ride an e-scooter in public depends on your municipality. Municipalities may opt into the provincial pilot and pass bylaws setting out where e-scooters may be used and whether shared e-scooter programs are permitted. Cities such as Ottawa have participated in the pilot, while others have chosen not to opt in.

As of 2026, Toronto has not opted into the provincial pilot. Electric kick-scooters therefore remain prohibited on Toronto’s public roads, sidewalks, bike lanes, trails, and other public property. The City has cited concerns including safety, accessibility, enforcement, and insurance.

Even though retailers can legally sell e-scooters in Toronto, it is illegal to ride them on public property in the city. This gap can create a public safety risk if purchasers take these motorized devices for a spin in public rather than limiting their use to private property.

What Are The Risks Of Riding An E-Scooter?

If riding an e-scooter in public is legal in your municipality, it is important to weigh its benefits against its risks before deciding to purchase and/or ride one. Electric scooters may be an eco-friendly way of getting from Point A to Point B quickly, but their lack of built-in safety features means that riders operating them are vulnerable to serious injuries, even when riding below their maximum speed.

Riding an e-scooter can be fatal. According to a road safety report conducted by the University of North Carolina, as of March 2021, at least 53 e-scooter riders had been killed in accidents over the preceding few years. Many of these deaths were the result of hit-and-run accidents. This may be due to the low visibility of e-scooter riders combined with the device’s quiet electric motor. Drivers may not see or hear a nearby e-scooter in time. Additionally, they may not be able to accurately gauge the speed at which an e-scooter travels, causing them to collide with its unprotected rider.

In the United States, injuries caused by e-scooter accidents rose 222% during the period studied. Nearly 40,000 injuries related to e-scooters were treated in emergency rooms between 2014 and 2018, with incidences of injuries more than doubling throughout that period. Hospital admissions of injured e-scooter riders between the ages of 18 and 34 increased by 354% over the four years studied.

Nearly one-third of the e-scooter injuries examined involved trauma to the head. This means that e-scooter accidents can cause serious injuries, including concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).

In Public Health Ontario’s report on e-scooter injuries, which draws on data from several American jurisdictions, injuries resulting from e-scooter accidents include:

• Head injuries
• Fractures
• Dislocations
• Sprains/strains
• Contusions
• Lacerations
• Dental injuries
• Internal organ damage
• Amputations
• And more

E-scooters pose threats to the physical safety of the person operating the device. However, they can also be dangerous for pedestrians who come into contact with e-scooters. According to a January 2021 study cited in a City of Toronto report, e-scooter riders were found to be 400% more likely than bicyclists to injure other people with whom they came into contact on sidewalks.

Furthermore, where e-scooter rideshare services operate, users may be required to agree to terms and conditions of use that shift liability to the rider. The two largest e-scooter rideshare companies in the United States required users to relieve them of liability in the event of accidents in which another person was harmed. By agreeing to these terms, e-scooter riders may accept responsibility for damage they cause to other people or property. Without applicable liability insurance, riders could be personally responsible for paying a substantial settlement if they injure someone or damage property.

How Can I Sue For Damages If I Was Injured In An E-Scooter Accident?

Similar to cyclists and pedestrians, e-scooter riders are particularly vulnerable to collisions with motor vehicles, including hit-and-run accidents. Travelling at relatively high speeds alongside passenger vehicle traffic with only the protection of a helmet puts e-scooter riders in precarious situations. E-scooter riders can sustain serious injuries if they are involved in a collision with distracted, impaired, or otherwise negligent motor vehicle operators. Pedestrians and other road users can also be seriously injured when struck by an e-scooter.

If you were injured in an e-scooter accident caused by the negligence of a driver, rider, or another party, an Ontario lawyer may be able to help you pursue legal action against the at-fault party. This may include cases in which the at-fault driver leaves the scene. Depending on the circumstances, a lawyer may be able to help you recover compensation for losses such as:

• Medical expenses
• Rehabilitation costs
• Ongoing medical care/in-home care
• Lost wages
• Loss of future earning capacity
• Adjusted living expenses
• Pain and suffering
• And possibly more

Contact Preszler Injury Lawyers Today

If you were injured in an e-scooter accident, you may be eligible to recover financial compensation. To discuss the circumstances of the accident and learn if you are eligible to pursue damages, contact Preszler Injury Lawyers today by calling 1-800-JUSTICE or filling out our online contact form.

We’re here to help.