Petition started to end e-scooter pilot program in Kamloops after teen’s death

After an 18-year-old was killed in an e-scooter accident in Kamloops, B.C., earlier this month, a petition has been started to end the pilot program in the city.

Kamloops RCMP said they were called to the intersection of Battle Street and Lee Road around 4 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 16, for reports of an incident involving an e-scooter.

An online post identified the victim as Hunter Dennis , also known as Bannock.

Almost 1,000 people have now signed an online petition to prohibit e-scooters in Kamloops in Dennis’ memory.

The City of Kamloops launched the pilot project in an effort to “expand active transportation opportunities that support council’s strategic goals on mobility and climate action.”

It comes as new national numbers show a surge in e-scooter hospitalizations across the country.

“For whatever reason, we’ve seen a real tipping point this past summer of just the prevalence of people using these devices,” Dr. Daniel Rosenfield, Pediatric Emergency Physician at Sick Kids Hospital and the Chair of the Injury Prevention Committee for the Canadian Pediatric Society, said.

“And as a result, the more people that are on them, the more injuries we’re going to see.”

Michael Temer with the Canadian Institute for Health Information said it is important to understand the risks of e-scooters.

“The devices are gaining more in popularity and as governments seek to regulate them, as people decide whether to buy them or allow family members to have them.”

The Canadian Institute of Health Information says e-scooter crashes requiring hospitalization doubled in B.C. over the past four years to 172 cases.

The B.C. Coroners Service said it has investigated nine e-scooter-related deaths since 2021.