‘E-dirt bikes are not toys’: E.R. doc fears more injuries after 2 kids hit in Edmonton

Two youths, years away from being able to obtain their learners permit — let alone full licence to drive on public roads in Alberta — are recovering from serious injuries after being hit in a collision Edmonton police allege they caused.

“The trouble is, they don’t have any concept of risk,” Dr. Louis Hugo Francescutti said of the mental development of young people.

“That part of the brain, through no fault of their own, has not been developed yet.”

The University of Alberta public health professor and emergency physician at the Royal Alexandra Hospital said more and more injuries are occurring from riding electric scooters, bicycles and dirt bikes.

While e-scooters and e-bikes rented from companies like Lime and Bird have their speed governed to around 20 km/h, more and more people are buying their own private ones that can reach higher speeds. Electric dirt bikes have also become popular.

“We thought e-scooters were bad but these go even faster,” Francescutti said on Friday of electric dirt bikes becoming more popular in Alberta.

“When you crash, that kinetic energy that’s stored makes all the difference — so doubling your speed quadruples the kinetic energy at the end of the collision.

“Unfortunately, we’re going to see more and more of these collisions as these bikes become more and more popular.”

A serious collision at a major intersection in southwest Edmonton on Thursday afternoon is the latest example of why doctors are calling for more awareness of the risks electric vehicles pose when in the hands of youth.

The crash happened around 2:30 p.m. at Windermere Boulevard and Terwillegar Drive, between an electric dirt bike with two kids on it and a car.

Edmonton police said the e-dirt bike was in the far-left turning lane on Windermere Blvd. eastbound, while a Ford Fusion was in the neighbouring left-turning lane.

When the advance left turn signal turned green, the Fusion went to turn left onto Terwillegar Drive northbound, as they were allowed to do.

However, police said the dirt bike beside it tried to go straight across the intersection, cutting off the car. As a result, the Ford hit the dirt bike.

The 11-year-old boy driving the bike, and a 12-year-old boy who was a passenger, were both taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.