Dad fined for letting underage child ride e-scooter in heavy North Vancouver traffic
A North Vancouver dad is “paying the price” for letting his underage son ride an e-scooter.
Information from the BC Highway Patrol includes some details about the incident, which left the father with a $109 ticket.
“Just because your child might enjoy the idea of an e-scooter, that does not mean they are legal or safe, and a North Vancouver man is on the hook after allowing his son to ride while under the age of 16,” BCHP said.
While the 12-year-old was wearing a helmet, BCHP pointed out that the helmet was oversized, and otherwise, he was only wearing shorts, a T-shirt and “large shoes.”
#BCHighwayPatrol – Father pays the price for his son riding an E Scooter underage https://t.co/e3pKlYKTgi pic.twitter.com/4ysPg9JsER
— BC Highway Patrol (@BCHwyPatrol) August 19, 2026
The incident occurred on Aug. 4 at around 7:15 p.m., when a BCHP officer spotted a “small” e-scooter rider in heavy traffic on Marine Drive at Pemberton Avenue.
The officer learned the child was 12 years old after stopping him on the road.
“Children under 16 are not allowed to operate e-scooters on public roads, bike lanes, or bike paths,” said BCHP Sergeant Michael McLaughlin in a statement.
“We spoke to the boy’s father, explained the law, and issued a ticket.”
“Police are getting an increasing number of complaints about unsafe and illegal e-mobility users,” said McLaughlin, adding a warning for other potential violators.
“Our main goal is to prevent death and injury, and it looks like we’re going to have to issue more tickets before people get the message.”
It’s not just fear mongering on behalf of McLaughlin. There have been deaths and serious injuries over the past several months in Metro Vancouver.
One particular incident that the Vancouver Police Department shared details about was the death of a 30-year-old woman who crashed into a car on a scooter. She wasn’t wearing a helmet at the time.
“The woman struck her head on the ground, and the driver of the vehicle stopped immediately. The woman was conscious when she was transported to hospital but unfortunately died from her injuries on July 11,” VPD said.
We recently posted e-scooter rules that many, like the North Vancouver dad in this story, may not be aware of.