Airdrie sees sharp rise in e scooter injury visits as health data highlights growing safety concerns

New health data is drawing attention to the growing number of injuries associated with electric scooters in Airdrie, with local medical facilities reporting a significant increase in visits involving riders.

Airdrie Community Health Centre recorded 47 visits related to e scooter injuries between April 1 and June 30, according to Alberta Health Services data. Thirteen of those visits involved patients under the age of 18.

The figures come as health officials and municipal authorities continue to warn riders about preventable injuries linked to electric scooters and e bikes, including broken bones, head injuries and facial trauma.

The latest numbers also highlight a broader increase in serious e scooter injuries across Alberta, although officials caution that different health datasets measure different types of medical care and should not be directly compared.

Airdrie injury numbers have increased

Data from Alberta Health Services show that e scooter related injury visits at Airdrie Community Health Centre have increased considerably over the past several fiscal years.

During the 2023 to 2024 fiscal year, the health centre recorded 60 e scooter injury visits. AHS identified 53 of those patients as adults and seven as pediatric patients.

The following year, there were 54 visits, including 41 adults and 13 pediatric patients.

The largest increase appeared in 2025 to 2026, when Airdrie Community Health Centre recorded 99 e scooter injury visits. AHS listed 51 adults and 48 pediatric patients in that year’s figures.

The latest available information covers the first three months of the current fiscal year. Between April 1 and June 30, the health centre recorded 47 injury visits, including 13 involving children under 18.

The numbers do not necessarily represent 47 individual people, as medical visit data can include repeat visits or multiple encounters involving the same patient.

Coding changes affect comparisons

AHS has warned that changes in medical coding make comparisons between different years more complicated.

Beginning in the 2025 to 2026 fiscal year, the Canadian Institute for Health Information introduced more specific codes designed to identify injuries involving e scooters.

AHS subsequently changed its search criteria to incorporate those codes.

That means the sharp increase recorded in 2025 to 2026 could reflect both a genuine rise in injuries and better identification of e scooter related cases within the health system.

Health officials therefore recommend caution when interpreting the year over year figures.

Nevertheless, the data comes as other health statistics show that e scooter injuries are becoming an increasingly important safety issue across Alberta and Canada.

Alberta hospitalizations reach highest level in four years

Separate national health data shows that hospitalizations involving falls from electric scooters among Alberta residents reached 163 during the 2025 to 2026 fiscal year.

That represents an increase from 144 hospitalizations the previous year and marks the highest figure in the four year period examined.

Nationally, hospitalizations associated with e scooter falls increased from 601 in 2024 to 2025 to 837 in 2025 to 2026.

The increase was particularly noticeable among younger patients. Hospitalizations recorded in the national age category covering children from birth through age 15 rose from 54 to 150 during the same period.

However, the national age category does not directly correspond with AHS’s definition of pediatric patients in its Airdrie data.

The health data also indicates the seriousness of many of these incidents. Head and brain injuries accounted for 157 hospitalizations nationally during 2025 to 2026, while fractures and major joint or musculoskeletal injuries accounted for 544.

These figures count hospitalizations rather than unique individuals, meaning one person could potentially appear more than once.

Different rules for private and shared scooters

Safety concerns in Airdrie are complicated by differences between privately owned e scooters and shared rental scooters.

Under provincial traffic regulations, privately owned e scooters are permitted on pathways in Airdrie but are not permitted on sidewalks or roadways, according to the city.

Shared rental scooters operate under Alberta’s provincial pilot program and have different permitted areas. They can operate on pathways, sidewalks and roadways subject to the applicable rules.

The city’s shared e scooter program is available to people aged 16 and older.

The different rules have become a source of confusion for residents and enforcement officers.

Municipal Enforcement conducted an education campaign from June 1 to June 21 focused on e scooters and e bikes. Officers concentrated on issues including sidewalk and pathway use, speed, youth riders, yielding to pedestrians and proper behaviour at crossings.

During the campaign, officials received numerous questions from residents about where different types of devices could legally operate.

One of the most common concerns involved privately owned e bikes and e scooters being used in areas where they are not permitted.

Speed was another significant issue, particularly because some electric devices are capable of travelling considerably faster than is appropriate for busy sidewalks, pathways and shared spaces.

Officials said education was the primary focus of the campaign, although enforcement action was taken in a limited number of cases when circumstances required it.

Helmet use remains a major safety message

Health officials continue to emphasize basic precautions for anyone using an electric scooter.

A properly fitted helmet can provide important protection in the event of a crash, while additional protective equipment can reduce the severity of certain injuries.

AHS recommends that riders use appropriate protective gear and choose safer riding conditions, particularly locations away from traffic and areas where visibility is poor.

The City of Airdrie also strongly encourages helmets for people using shared e scooters.

The emphasis on safety comes as more residents use electric scooters for transportation, recreation and short trips around the community.

As the number of riders increases, the potential for collisions and falls also grows, particularly when riders travel too quickly, encounter pedestrians or use devices in areas not designed for them.

Youth safety remains a concern

The number of pediatric injury visits is another important part of the Airdrie data.

AHS recorded 48 pediatric patients in its 2025 to 2026 figures, compared with seven in 2023 to 2024 and 13 in 2024 to 2025.

The current fiscal year’s first quarter included 13 visits involving patients under 18.

While the coding changes make direct comparisons difficult, the figures have increased enough to attract attention to youth safety.

Parents and young riders are being encouraged to understand the rules applying to the specific type of scooter they are using and to avoid high speed riding in crowded areas.

The distinction between privately owned and shared scooters is particularly important because riders may assume that all electric scooters are governed by identical regulations.

Airdrie faces a growing safety challenge

Electric scooters have become increasingly visible in communities across Alberta, offering residents another convenient way to travel short distances.

But the latest health figures demonstrate that convenience also comes with risks.

For Airdrie, the combination of rising injury visits, questions about local regulations and concerns about speed has created a challenge for health officials, municipal authorities, riders and families.

Clearer understanding of the rules, responsible riding and greater use of protective equipment could help reduce preventable injuries.

As more people choose electric scooters, public awareness will remain an important part of keeping pathways, sidewalks and roads safe for riders, pedestrians and other users.

The latest AHS figures provide a reminder that an electric scooter may be easy to operate, but it still requires the same attention to safety and responsibility expected from anyone using a vehicle or transportation device in a busy community.

Courtesy: discoverairdrie