Toronto police say officers will crack down on dangerous drivers operating electric vehicles on the city’s roads, as part of a two-week enforcement campaign by its traffic services unit.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of “micromobility vehicles” on the roads, police said in a news release Monday. Those electric vehicles include electric bicycles, electric unicycles and electric skateboards, as well as electric scooters, which are banned but increasingly popular in Toronto.

The focus of the Safe Rides, Safe Streets campaign is to educate drivers and prevent them from putting themselves and others at risk, said Interim Superintendent. Matt Moyer told CBC Toronto in an interview.

“You can’t drive down the road at excessive speeds, jump on the sidewalk, cut people off… park and leave your vehicles everywhere, run red lights, etc.,” Moyer said.

“We’re just seeing too much of this.”

So far this year, 16 people have been killed or seriously injured while using a micromobility vehicle, according to Toronto police. Moyer said at least one person died on an electric scooter in Toronto this year, and doctors have also noticed an increase in injuries among young people. people related to the improper use of electric vehicles.

“They are motorized and when they are, they sometimes attract a very young audience,” he said.

“We decided it’s time to put our foot down and start with education and move on to law enforcement.”

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Ashley Milton is calling on the city to better regulate electric scooters, which are currently banned on Toronto roads. “I would like them to keep in mind that sidewalks are actually made for people, not motor vehicles,” he said.

Advocate calls for regulation of electric scooters

Caryma Sa’d, an attorney and avid electric scooter user, said she welcomes the police effort to stop dangerous driving, but wants the city to adopt regulations that make the popular and growing use of electric scooters legal and standardized.

“It’s a little bit like the Wild West,” Sa’d said. “That would include people modifying their devices so they can go very fast and other modifications that could affect the structural integrity of the device.”

The city of Toronto has banned the use of electric scooters. A spokesperson told CBC Toronto in an email that the city had declined to opt into the provincial electric scooter pilot in May, citing safety concerns for pedestrians and drivers.

“Cities that have allowed electric scooters have seen a high incidence of electric scooter users riding on sidewalks, posing a significant safety risk to pedestrians, including seniors and people with disabilities,” said the city ​​spokesperson.

It’s not entirely clear how many electric micromobility vehicles are on Toronto roads, but police and city estimates suggest there could be hundreds, if not thousands, of electric scooters alone.

“The council just needs to consider the reality on the ground and whether it is better to regulate something that is already happening as best it can or a widespread illegal status,” Sa’d said.

“It’s just a nightmare for law enforcement.”

The police traffic services campaign will be held from November 4 to 17. Moyer said enforcement will begin downtown, where traffic congestion is worst, and then spread throughout the city.