The Newfoundland and Labrador government has launched a public consultation on road-safety rules for electric bikes and scooters, responding to growing use and rising worries from parents and safety advocates about how those vehicles are being operated on public roads.
Government moves to catch up with technology
Government Services Minister Mike Goosney told reporters the legislation must be updated to reflect technological change and emerging safety issues. He warned that without timely action incidents are likely to increase.
“There are no secrets that there will be incidents if we don't address it sooner than later,”
The announcement follows concerns raised in Labrador West, where parents say they’ve noticed more electric scooters and bikes on roadways and worry riders are not wearing helmets or sharing the road responsibly.
Local parents call for clear rules and training
Two parents who spoke to CBC — Jackie Granter and Kesha Morgan — urged the provincial government to move quickly to introduce regulations. Both said they routinely see riders cutting in front of vehicles, failing to signal, and travelling in unpredictable ways.
“You could be driving along and the scooter’s in front of you and then all of a sudden they cut right in front of you,”
Granter suggested a safety course to teach the rules of the road to new riders, while Morgan described motorists swerving to avoid youngsters on scooters and said that many riders appear to lack any formal instruction before operating motorized devices.
What’s at issue
At present, the increase in e-bike and e-scooter use has raised several regulatory questions for Newfoundland and Labrador, including where those devices should legally travel, whether helmets and safety gear should be mandatory, and what training or licensing — if any — might be required.
- Safety gear and helmet rules
- Where e-bikes and e-scooters can operate (roadways, bike lanes, sidewalks)
- Age limits, training or licensing requirements
- Speed limits and vehicle classification
Those are the same issues that have prompted action in other provinces and municipalities, where governments have revised traffic codes or issued local bylaws to reduce collisions and clarify enforcement powers.
Practical implications for communities
A successful regulatory approach would affect a wide cross-section of people: commuters who use e-bikes for work, students and youth riding scooters, motorists and pedestrians who must share streets, and law enforcement tasked with enforcement. For parents in Labrador West, the question is immediate: how to make neighbourhood streets safer for children and drivers alike.
Government consultations typically seek input from residents, municipalities, Indigenous governments, stakeholder groups and industry. The feedback will help officials decide whether amendments to the Highway Traffic Act are needed and what form they should take.
| Concern | Possible response |
|---|---|
| Unclear roadway rules | Define lanes where e-devices may be used |
| Lack of helmets | Introduce mandatory helmet requirements |
| Rider inexperience | Develop safety courses or age limits |
Next steps and how to take part
Officials have opened a period for public submissions. Residents who want to influence changes to the Highway Traffic Act should monitor the provincial website and local announcements for details on how to submit comments and the consultation deadline. Municipal governments and community groups may also provide formal feedback.
As electric personal vehicles gain popularity, the debate is shifting from whether to regulate to how best to do so in a way that balances mobility and safety. For many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, the hope is that clear rules and public education will reduce near-misses on roads and keep both riders and other road users safe.
WE NEWS will follow developments as the consultation proceeds and report on any proposed legislative changes.
