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Local trustees want the province to bolster safety education around e-scooters and e-bikes. (Keito Newman \/ The Canadian Press files)<\/p>\n
Campbell, a long-time trustee in the Interlake School Division, resigned from elected office this summer to run the association that mobilizes school boards and provides them with labour relations support.<\/p>\n
While noting trustees are not curriculum developers, he said they make policies related to local transportation issues and have a responsibility to ensure health lessons, among others, are up to date.<\/p>\n
Campbell said teaching students about the importance of wearing a helmet on e-scooters, using \u201cprescribed bike lanes,\u201d and following the Highway Traffic Act is critical for all community members\u2019 safety.<\/p>\n
Manitoba curriculum needs to be upgraded so all kids learn that riding an e-scooter on a sidewalk can put both them and pedestrians in danger, he noted.<\/p>\n
New research on \u201cpowered personal micromobility devices,\u201d undertaken by a group of Canadian pediatricians, shows at least 10 kids died from using an e-bike, e-scooter or related technology in 2025.<\/p>\n
\u201cChildren may be at increased risk due to inexperience operating motorized vehicles, less caution\/more risk-taking behaviour, and anatomic differences including skeletal immaturity and larger head size-to-body ratios,\u201d states a summary of the findings.<\/p>\n
Dr. Daniel Rosenfield was among the team who surveyed 800 colleagues across the country to find out the prevalence of these injuries and fatalities.<\/p>\n
A total of 57 incidents involving e-bikes, e-scooters, e-skateboards, e-unicycles, hoverboards and motorized mobility aids were reported.<\/p>\n
Head injuries, accounting for nearly half of all cases, were the most common. Boys between the ages of 10 and 15 were the most likely to be injured.<\/p>\n
The findings show there were 26 hospitalizations lasting over 48 hours and 12 admissions to intensive care units.<\/p>\n
\u201cGiven recent trends, this is likely an underrepresentation of true cases,\u201d Rosenfield said in a news release Thursday.<\/p>\n
Although a summary did not break down incidents by province, it did acknowledge there were incident reports from Manitoba and Saskatchewan.<\/p>\n
A government spokesperson said in a statement the Kinew government is taking seriously concerns raised by pediatricians and parents.<\/p>\n
They described student safety as a \u201ctop priority\u201d for Premier Wab Kinew\u2019s team and indicated the province is actively looking for ways to increase awareness about \u201cthe safe use of e-bikes and e-scooters.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked last week about when an updated health curriculum will be released, Education Minister Tracy Schmidt said details will be released \u201cshortly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Multiple transportation-related resolutions were brought forward at the school boards association\u2019s annual general meeting in March.<\/p>\n
\n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n
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Dozens of trustees voted to petition the province to \u201cfurther emphasize bike safety and the safe use of power-assisted bicycles and e-scooters.\u201d<\/p>\n
Campbell said school leaders in urban areas and rural communities are concerned about unsafe operating habits on these increasingly popular devices.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2026, public education is no longer about reading, writing and math, sitting in rows,\u201d said the father of two and former school division transportation director.<\/p>\n
Given school boards are grappling with high busing costs and interested in promoting healthy habits, such as walking to school, Campbell said trustees should be playing a bigger role in active transportation planning.<\/p>\n
maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n
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Maggie Macintosh Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she first reported for the Free Press in 2017. Read more about Maggie<\/a>.<\/p>\n Funding for the Free Press education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Maggie produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Education reporter
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