WELLINGTON COUNTY – While E-Scooters are not currently permitted in Wellington County, injuries persist. Safe Communities Wellington County are hoping to stop them before they get worse, as they plan to roll out an awareness campaign for this “recipe for disaster.”
The scooters have been outright banned in the City of Toronto, while some municipalities are a part of a provincial pilot program to test the waters.
The problem with E-Scooters stems from their small wheels and high speed of 24 kilometres per hour, says Safe Communities Program Coordinator Christine Veit.
Veit went on to say the safety risks exist even for those too young to legally be riding these scooters.
Veit says Centre Wellington was among the catalysts for her bringing of the issue to Roads Committee at County level.
Veit noted an awareness campaign should begin to roll out in June to not only remind residents of road safety, but also the fact that as of right now, these scooters are not permitted on local roads or trails.
She says if Wellington County were to enact a bylaw to allow the scooters, pending messaging from Safe Communities would be around guidelines like speed and age restrictions. For the time being, she says, the group looks to partner with OPP to send out reminders surrounding the illegality of E-Scooters in the county.
Veit explained the high speeds and unpredictable handling of these scooters is what makes them a danger to involved municipalities.
Veit went on to add there are certain demographics that can find it hard to get out of the way of the E-Scooters.
For more on the E-Scooters, find Veit’s committee presentation in the Roads Committee agenda.
