Edmonton e-dirt bike injuries: what the data and law say

Electric dirt bikes cannot legally be ridden on Alberta’s public roads, sidewalks or pathways, yet injuries to children keep climbing: Canadian hospitalizations of kids 15 and under for e-scooter crashes nearly tripled to 150 last year. After two Edmonton boys were hurt in a Sept. 10 crash, Alberta said it is preparing new rules this fall.

What happened in the Windermere crash?

Around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, two boys on an electric dirt bike were hit by a car at Windermere Boulevard and Terwillegar Drive in southwest Edmonton. Edmonton police said the bike was in the far-left turn lane heading east but went straight through the intersection when the advance arrow turned green, cutting off a Ford Fusion turning left from the next lane.

The 11-year-old driver and his 12-year-old passenger were taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Police said speed and alcohol were not factors, and that one boy wore a bicycle helmet and the other wore none, CTV News reported. The driver of the car was not hurt.

Two weeks earlier, on Aug. 27, a 16-year-old on an electric dirt bike crashed into the side of an SUV in St. Albert. RCMP issued him nearly $1,400 in tickets and said most riders their officers stop are youths, the St. Albert Gazette reported.

Are electric dirt bikes legal in Edmonton?

Not on public property. Edmonton police and RCMP have said electric dirt bikes, like gas-powered ones, cannot be ridden on public roads, sidewalks or pathways in Alberta. They can be used on private property with the owner’s permission or in designated off-highway vehicle areas. Riders and parents can face fines, seizure of the bike and, in serious cases, criminal charges.

Many electric dirt bikes are far more powerful than a legal e-bike. Under Alberta’s rules for power bicycles, the motor can put out no more than 500 watts and must stop helping at 32 km/h. Riders must be at least 12, those under 18 need a parent’s or guardian’s written consent, a helmet is required and riders under 16 cannot carry passengers.

How many kids are hurt on e-scooters and e-bikes?

Canadian Institute for Health Information data released in August showed 837 people were hospitalized for e-scooter injuries from April 2025 to March 2026, up from 601 the year before, an increase of almost 40 per cent. Among children 15 and under, hospitalizations rose to 150 from 54, The Canadian Press reported. Fractures and head and brain injuries were among the most common reasons.

The Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program counted 57 serious cases involving children on e-scooters and e-bikes in 2025, including 10 deaths, 12 intensive care admissions and 26 long hospital stays. Head injuries made up 47 per cent of cases, and most involved a child riding alone without a helmet or adult supervision.

Dr. Louis Hugo Francescutti, an emergency physician at Edmonton’s Royal Alexandra Hospital, told Global News after the Windermere crash that “e-dirt bikes are not toys.” He said higher speeds sharply increase the energy in a crash and that children are not yet able to judge that risk. Pediatricians raised similar alarms this summer, as we reported in August.

What is Alberta doing about it?

Premier Danielle Smith said on her weekend radio show after the crash that the province is consulting on rules for electric dirt bikes and could set speed limits, limits on where they can go, age limits and protective gear requirements, EVSHIFT reported. She said she wants consistent rules across municipalities.

Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen’s office told Postmedia the government expects to amend the Traffic Safety Act this fall to create a framework for e-scooters and other personal micromobility devices, with municipalities deciding whether to allow them and enforcing the rules, the Edmonton Journal reported. Until then, private e-scooters have no legal place on public streets in Edmonton or Calgary, which only allow rental scooters under a provincial pilot.

For parents, the practical advice from doctors and police is the same: keep electric dirt bikes on private land or approved trails, make sure riders wear a proper helmet and do not let children carry passengers. We will follow the provincial changes on our Edmonton news page.

Frequently asked questions

Can kids ride electric dirt bikes on Edmonton streets?

No. Electric dirt bikes are not allowed on public roads, sidewalks or pathways in Alberta. They can be ridden on private property with permission or in designated off-highway vehicle areas.

What is the minimum age for an e-bike in Alberta?

Riders of a power bicycle must be at least 12, and riders under 18 need written consent from a parent or guardian.

What makes an e-bike legal in Alberta?

A legal power bicycle has a motor of 500 watts or less that stops assisting at 32 km/h. Many electric dirt bikes exceed those limits.

How many children were hospitalized for e-scooter injuries in Canada?

A total of 150 children aged 15 and under were hospitalized from April 2025 to March 2026, up from 54 the year before, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

Is Alberta changing its e-scooter and e-bike rules?

The province has said it expects to amend the Traffic Safety Act this fall to regulate e-scooters and other micromobility devices, and it is consulting on rules for electric dirt bikes.

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