Summer is right here and, for many people within the B.C. Interior, it’s a time to take pleasure in actively transferring round in our communities. Many individuals are having fun with various low carbon methods of getting round. E-scooters are a handy, enjoyable various to driving a automobile.
Two Interior communities – Kelowna and Vernon – are presently collaborating in a three-year provincial pilot venture, permitting residents and guests to use electrical kick scooters (e-scooters) underneath related guidelines as bikes and e-bikes. In addition, many people throughout the area have entry to their very own e-scooter.
As this newer type of transportation is sharing the street with different modes, Interior Health is dedicated to working with all companions to guarantee harm prevention stays a prime precedence. Evidence from 2021 suggests a rise within the variety of scooter-related accidents as in contrast to the earlier 5 years. The most affected age teams have been younger people between the ages of 20 and 40, and the most typical forms of accidents have been fracture of the higher extremities and open wounds to the pinnacle and neck. More than 90% of people injured didn’t put on a helmet on the time of harm.
“Road safety is everyone’s business,” mentioned Dr. Silvina Mema, medical well being officer, Interior Health. “It’s important that everyone plays their part to prevent transportation-related injuries and associated impacts experienced in our communities. There are significant health-care costs as well and personal impacts for people who experience serious injuries.”
Interior Health is reminding anybody who makes use of a privately owned or shared e-scooter to hold security prime of thoughts and comply with the e-scooter supplier specs. Here are quite a few steps you can take to journey safely and cut back the danger of harm to your self or others:
- Wear a helmet;
- Don’t carry passengers (e.g., doubling);
- Never journey underneath the affect of medication or alcohol;
- If you are a much less skilled rider, begin sluggish and in areas of low visitors;
- Ride at a secure velocity and in designated areas resembling protected lanes and quiet streets;
- Remember you should be 16 or older to journey an e-scooter in B.C. (Kelowna-based operators presently require you to be 18 or older);
- Know the principles – familiarize your self with the place you can and can’t journey;
- Ensure your e-scooter is provided with a braking system and added security options, together with a bell, lights and reflectors.
These suggestions additionally apply to different forms of energetic journey, resembling biking, skateboarding, non-electric scooters and curler skating/blading.
Interior Health helps various modes of transportation and can proceed to associate with communities to monitor health-related impacts.
Interior Health