E-scooter hospitalizations up by 40% in past year: CIHI

CANADA E-scooter hospitalizations up by 40% in past year: CIHI By Adriana Fallico Global News Posted August 26, 2026 2:07 pm 4 min read New data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) shows e-scooter hospitalizations are on the rise across the country. Health reporter Katherine Ward explains who is getting hurt the most and what injuries are the most common. LEAVE A COMMENT SHARE THIS ITEM ON FACEBOOK SHARE THIS ITEM ON X SEND THIS PAGE TO SOMEONE VIA EMAIL SEE MORE SHARING OPTIONS DESCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE INCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE Hospitalizations among children and adults riding e-scooters have risen by almost 40 per cent in the last year, according to new data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). There were 837 hospitalizations for e-scooter injuries between April 2025 and March 2026, an increase from 601 in the same period the previous year, data released Tuesday states. Head and brain injuries and fractures were among the most common reasons e-scooter riders were hospitalized. “I’m not remotely surprised at the numbers,” said Daniel Rosenfield, a pediatric emergency physician at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children and chair of the injury prevention committee for the Canadian Pediatric Society. “For whatever reason, we’ve seen a real tipping point this past summer of just the prevalence of people using these devices.” STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT Data showed the number of kids 15 years of age and under hospitalized for e-scooter injuries jumped from 54 youth in 2024-25 to 150 in 2025-26. Among those injured in 2025-26, 122 were boys and 28 were girls. “It is indeed quite sobering that specifically young teen and preteen boys are the highest jump in morbidity and injury,” Rosenfield said. Among those aged 16-30, 129 people were hospitalized in 2024-25, compared with 153 in 2025-26. The reason for the vast difference in hospitalizations stems from the availability of e-scooters, Rosenfield says. 1:03 Calls for greater e-bike, e-scooter safety Stick to the Facts Add Global News as a Preferred Source on Google to see more of our stories in your search results. “There are more of these devices out there. So, the more kids and teens that are using them, the more of them that are going to get injured,” he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT “And as a result, the more people that are on them, the more injuries we’re going to see.” Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical…