EDMONTON — Alberta municipalities are calling on the Government of Alberta to introduce regulations governing e-scooters and other personal electronic transportation as safety concerns grow. "The Traffic Safety Act does not currently address the operation of privately owned personal mobility devices on public infrastructure," said the resolution presenter from Spruce Grove. "This legislative gap has created significant challenges for municipalities to effectively regulate their use, and it raises safety and enforcement challenges with respect to speed, helmet use, age restrictions, parking, and defining where PMDs may be permitted to operate." .The resolution passed by the Association of Alberta Municipalities calls on the association to advocate that the Alberta government establish a "clear and consistent" framework governing the operation and use of PMDs, such as e-scooters, electronic skateboards, hoverboards, e-bikes, and segways. It also calls for municipal governments to have the authority to enact local bylaws where they deem necessary. "Many of the families are experiencing significant challenges in their communities with the use of these devices," the presenter said. Alberta Health Services reported in July that the number of 3,049 people visited emergency departments and urgent care facilities in Alberta during the prior year, a 33% spike from the previous period. Conversations about safety concerns amplified in early September when a pair of young boys riding an electric dirt bike were seriously injured after going straight from a turning lane and colliding with a car. ."When I was a kid, you could only go as fast as your own legs would take you," said Premier Danielle Smith on her Sept. 12 radio show. "Whether that was a scooter or whether that was on a bike.”"And I think with the new modern technologies, they've kind of gotten ahead of where we're at from a regulatory point of view." Smith said her government intends to bring forward legislation to address the issue, but the framework has not been finalized. "Do we ban them?" Smith said. "I think we probably could set some speed limits. We could probably set some limits on where they're able to go. We probably need to set some limits on age, if you're going to be using them and what kind of protective gear that would they would need."
