Teacher starts petition to reduce e-scooter injuries
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As reports of e-scooter injuries continue to surface in Manitoba, a Winnipeg teacher is calling for stronger regulations, public education and enforcement before more people are seriously hurt.
Jude Gosselin recently launched an online petition urging the provincial government and municipalities to enforce helmet laws and establish clearer rules for battery-powered scooters and bikes, citing concerns about speed, safety and the growing number of young riders using the devices. As of Monday afternoon, the petition had received 54 signatures.
Gosselin said the idea came from what he has observed both as a teacher and in his community.
“I’ve been noticing more and more kids on their bikes or whatever mode of transportation without helmets,” he said. “I know the vulnerability of the brain… and I don’t want that tragedy for someone’s family.”
While bicycles have long been a common sight, Gosselin said the increasing popularity of e-bikes and e-scooters has changed the equation.
“These are toys to these kids,” Gosselin said. “They’re dangerous. They’re too fast for these kids. They shouldn’t be on them at all, in my opinion.”
Gosselin said he believes legislation currently being developed by the province should be fast-tracked and accompanied by a public awareness campaign and meaningful enforcement.
“There has to be enforcement of what the rules are,” he said. “If there’s no enforcement, then people won’t follow them.”
When informed of serious injuries suffered by a Winnipeg Blue Bombers volunteer, Gosselin became emotional as he spoke about his own son, who was struck by a vehicle earlier this year and spent more than a week in hospital before recovering.
“I can’t imagine. I can’t imagine what that family is going through,” he said. “There’s no reason for that to happen; it’s entirely preventable.”
As a teacher, Gosselin said he regularly reminds students about helmet use and the risks associated with riding bicycles and other devices.
“You are travelling on a dangerous device,” he said. “You fall, you hit your head, you could be away from school for months.”
Ultimately, he hopes governments act before more serious injuries occur.
“Let’s not wait for another tragedy,” Gosselin said. “How many of these will it take before we take collective action?”
