Toronto’s growing e-scooter culture deserves better than sharing the streets with drunk drivers
Drunk drivers often cause pedestrian accidents and collisions involving e-scooters in Toronto. And the problem seems to be getting worse, judging by recent impaired driving accidents in Toronto involving pedestrians and e-scooter riders.
One recent incident involved an impaired driver who injured two e-scooter riders near Toronto’s waterfront, according to a recent CTV News article about the drunk driving accident. The collision occurred on a Sunday morning near Lower Spadina Avenue and Queens Quay West. Toronto police arrested the impaired driver at the scene of the accident.
How common are e-scooter accidents in Toronto?
Sadly, e-scooter accidents have become increasingly common in Toronto. In some cases, e-scooter injuries have increased by 600 percent in recent years. Researchers studying e-scooter injuries at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto found those injuries increased by 600 percent between 2020 and 2024, according to The Toronto Star.
In addition, researchers also found e-bike injuries at the same Toronto hospital increased by 240 percent during the same time period, The Toronto Star reported.
Nationwide, e-scooter injuries have increased by 22 percent across Canada in recent years, according to research undertaken by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), as reported by The Toronto Star.
How often do impaired drivers cause e-scooter accidents in Toronto?
Exact figures are not available for e-scooter accidents caused by drunk drivers in Toronto. However, as the recent impaired driving accident involving an e-scooter in Toronto illustrates, these types of collisions often occur in downtown Toronto. And when they do, serious e-scooter injuries are often the result.
How common are Toronto pedestrian accidents?
Unfortunately, pedestrian accidents remain very common in Toronto. Between 2006 and 2023, pedestrian fatalities in Toronto ranged from 18 deaths in 2011 to a high of 44 deaths in 2016, according to pedestrian accident data collected by the Toronto Police Service.
In recent years, the number of Toronto pedestrian deaths has increased since 2020 to a four-year high of 29 pedestrian fatalities in 2023. The same is true for serious pedestrian injuries in Toronto. Those numbers reached a four-year high in 2023, when 120 pedestrians sustained serious injuries in city accidents, according to the Toronto Police Service.
How often do impaired drivers cause Toronto pedestrian accidents?
Despite repeated warnings about the dangers of drunk driving, Toronto drivers under the influence of alcohol continue to cause pedestrian accidents throughout the city. The same is true throughout Ontario, where roughly 7.5 percent of all fatal motor vehicle accidents involve drunk drivers, according to the most recent annual Ontario Road Safety Report issued by the Ministry of Transportation.
Here's another startling statistic – roughly 20 percent of pedestrian fatalities across Canada involve drivers under the influence of alcohol and drugs, according to a study conducted by Statistics Canada. Based on these numbers, that means roughly 2 to 8 pedestrians die each year in Toronto as a result of being hit by a drunk driver.
Can you sue a drunk driver who caused a pedestrian accident?
Yes. You have the right to take legal action and file a lawsuit against an impaired driver who caused your pedestrian accident in Toronto. In fact, taking legal action against a drunk driver might be the best way to obtain the compensation you need for all your accident-related expenses.
Just keep in mind that you only have a limited amount of time to take legal action. Specifically, the deadline for filing a pedestrian accident lawsuit in Ontario seeking damages (the legal term for compensation for financial losses) is two years from the date of the accident. That deadline is known as the statute of limitations. And if you miss that deadline, you could miss out on your only opportunity to obtain the compensation you rightfully deserve.
What other options do injured pedestrians or e-scooter riders have after an accident?
Along with filing a lawsuit seeking damages for a pedestrian or e-scooter accident, victims often have several other available options for obtaining the financial compensation they deserve for their injury-related expenses:
- File a no-fault insurance Accident Benefits claim, especially in cases involving no-fault e-scooter accidents.
- File a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
- Seek compensation from the e-scooter rental company, especially if the business rented a poorly maintained scooter.
- Seek compensation from the e-scooter manufacturer, especially if the company made a defective e-scooter that caused your accident.
Depending on the circumstances of your accident, other options might exist for obtaining compensation for your accident. That’s why it’s important to talk with a lawyer right away who knows how to handle such complex legal cases.
Put our Toronto pedestrian accident lawyers to work for you
Injury claims involving pedestrian or e-scooter accidents often quickly turn into complicated legal cases. And if you don’t have a lawyer handling your case, you might not get the money you deserve to get your life back on track.
Our Toronto pedestrian accident lawyers at Smitiuch Injury Law can help you every step of the way. We understand the city and provincial laws that apply to e-scooter and pedestrian accidents. We also know how to investigate these accidents and find the evidence you need to build a strong, compelling legal case. Our case results illustrate this. That’s why many people in the GTA choose our firm to represent them.
Learn more about your potential legal options. Contact us and schedule a free consultation with a Toronto pedestrian injury lawyer who puts your best interests first. We handle pedestrian and e-scooter injury claims throughout Ontario and have three offices conveniently located in Toronto, Brantford, and Simcoe.
“I am so grateful for the incredible support and dedication I received from Smitiuch Injury Law… Thanks to their hard work, my case was resolved, and I couldn’t be more thankful. They truly went above and beyond, and I always felt that my best interests were their top priority. I highly recommend Smitiuch Law to anyone who needs a knowledgeable and committed advocate.” – Brent M., ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
