Updated October 19, 2026. E-scooters are in the news again in Quebec. On October 19, the Journal de Montréal reported that crashes with e-scooters have almost quadrupled in three years, based on SAAQ numbers. A Montreal borough just banned them from its parks. Doctors want tougher rules. If you drive in a Quebec city, you share the road with more scooters than ever. Here are the rules for riders, the rules for drivers, and what I watch for behind the wheel.

What the numbers say

The SAAQ counts collisions between e-scooters and vehicles. La Presse reported the numbers in August:

Year E-scooter and vehicle collisions (SAAQ)
2023 45
2024 71
2025 156

That is more than double in one year, and more than three times the 2023 count.

Hospitals see it too. The trauma director at the Montreal Children's Hospital told CBC that the hospital now sees 14 times more serious e-scooter injuries than in 2023. She said close to 20% of these cases need a hospital stay. Close to 60% of the children were under 14, the legal age to ride.

Why it is in the news this week

A few things came out at the same time:

  • October 8: the Montreal borough of Saint-Laurent put a new bylaw in force. E-scooters and similar devices are now banned in its parks, sidewalks and trails. They are still allowed on streets with a limit of 50 km/h or less, and on the bike paths on those streets.
  • October 13: 24 heures reported that scooters able to reach 50 or even 100 km/h are sold in Quebec. They are not legal on public roads.
  • October 17 to 19: Radio-Canada, the Journal de Montréal and 98.5 Montréal ran stories on injuries, including a Longueuil crash between an e-scooter and a car on October 16.

The rules for riders in Quebec

Quebec does not have e-scooters in its main road code yet. They fall under a pilot project that started on July 20, 2023. The SAAQ says it now runs until July 20, 2028.

To ride on a public road, the rider must:

  • Be at least 14 and carry a document that shows their age.
  • Wear a real helmet, done up and fitted.
  • Ride no faster than 25 km/h.
  • Ride alone. No passengers.
  • Keep to the right, in the same direction as traffic.
  • Follow the same signs and lights as a cyclist.
  • Signal turns.

The rider must not:

  • Ride on a road with a limit over 50 km/h. The only exceptions are crossing at an intersection, going through a roundabout, or using a bike path that is separated from the road.
  • Ride on the sidewalk, except in rare cases.
  • Wear earbuds or headphones.
  • Use a phone while moving.

The scooter itself must also follow rules. The motor must stop pushing at 25 km/h. Power is capped at 500 W and weight at 36 kg with the battery. It needs brakes, reflectors, and a white light in front and a red light in back at night.

Most fines for riders are $100. Riding a scooter whose motor keeps pushing past 25 km/h can cost $200. Parents who let a child under 14 ride can be fined $100.

Photo: Chris Woodrich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The rules for drivers

This is the part many drivers miss. Under the pilot project, the law treats an e-scooter rider much like a cyclist. That means you must:

  • Give space when you pass. Leave at least 1 metre on roads of 50 km/h or less. Leave 1.5 metres where the limit is higher. If you cannot do that safely, slow down and stay behind. You may cross a solid line to pass if it is safe.
  • Yield when you turn. If a rider is crossing the street you are turning into, they go first.
  • Yield on a right turn on red. If a rider is in the intersection, or about to enter it, you wait.
  • Yield at driveways. If you turn into a driveway or a parking lot, let the rider on the road go by first.

Breaking these rules can cost a driver $200 to $300.

One more rule saves a lot of pain. Before you open your door, check your side mirror. The SAAQ says to open the door with your far hand. That turns your body, so you look back over your shoulder.

What I watch for as a driver

I have driven and written about cars for a long time. E-scooters change a few habits. Here is what I keep in mind.

They are quiet and quick. A legal scooter can do 25 km/h, which is about the speed of a fast cyclist. An illegal one can go much faster. Do not judge its speed by how small it is.

They are small in your mirror. A scooter takes up less room than a bike. It can sit in your blind spot. A blind spot warning light helps, but it does not replace a look over your shoulder.

Watch the right side at corners. A lot of crashes happen when a car turns right across a bike path. Slow down and look before you turn.

Fall means dark. The clocks go back on November 1. Many people ride home in the dark now. Some scooters have weak lights. Others have lights so bright they blind you. Slow down when you cannot read what is ahead.

Ask about blind spot monitoring. If you are shopping for a car, ask if the trim has it. You can compare trims on the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V pages.

Smooth driving helps everyone. Looking far ahead and easing off early gives you time to react. It also saves gas. Our tips to lower fuel consumption work the same way.

What about Ontario and Toronto?

Ontario runs its own pilot project, from January 1, 2020 to November 27, 2029. Each town decides if it allows e-scooters. Where they are allowed, riders must be at least 16. Riders under 18 need a bike helmet. Scooters are capped at 24 km/h and 500 W. Fines under the pilot run from $250 to $2,500.

Toronto has not joined the pilot. The City of Toronto says e-scooters are not allowed on any public street, bike lane, trail, sidewalk or park.

What could change next

Saint-Laurent's mayor, Alan DeSousa, has asked the new Quebec government for a law on e-scooters in public places. Doctors at the Montreal Children's Hospital want the minimum age raised to 16. They also want riders to hold a class 6D licence, the same one needed for a moped. None of this is law yet. We will update this page if the rules change.

For more safety news, see our safety section. With winter close, our guide to winter driving and fuel use and our guide to engine oil before winter are good next reads.

FAQ

Can an e-scooter ride on the road in Quebec? Yes, on roads with a limit of 50 km/h or less, and on bike paths. Not on faster roads, except to cross at an intersection.

How far must I stay from an e-scooter when I pass? At least 1 metre where the limit is 50 km/h or less, and 1.5 metres where it is higher.

Can a 12-year-old ride an e-scooter in Quebec? No. The rider must be at least 14 on public roads. In Ontario, the minimum age is 16.

Is a helmet required? Yes, in Quebec for every rider. In Ontario, for riders under 18.

Are scooters faster than 25 km/h legal? Not on Quebec public roads. The motor must stop pushing at 25 km/h.

Sources

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