B.C. school districts crack down on e-scooters, e-bikes as emergency room visits grow

More British Columbia school districts are banning electric bikes and scooters from their properties ahead of the new school year, citing a spike in injuries among underage riders.

The Langley School District says in a letter to parents this week that e-scooters and e-dirt bikes are now banned at all of its schools, while the Nanaimo-Ladysmith district says the parents of elementary school students who arrive at school on an e-bike or scooter will be asked to come and retrieve the devices.

Both school districts say an increase in injuries among children and youth riders influenced their decision to implement bans on school property.

Dr. Genevieve Ernst, trauma medical director at BC Children’s Hospital, says the hospital has seen a steep rise in both emergency room visits and devastating brain injuries for child patients as the result of e-scooter crashes.