Woman's family pleads for e-scooter helmet use after Vancouver collision death

The family of a Vancouver woman who died from injuries sustained in an e-scooter collision is pleading with riders across Canada to wear helmets.

Shyan Lolly, 30, a 911 call taker, was riding a scooter on July 3 in the area of Venables Street and Commercial Drive when she collided with the side of a vehicle. She was not wearing a helmet, hit her head on the ground, and was conscious when transported to hospital. She died from her injuries on July 11.

Shyan's mother, Olivia, and sister Victoria told media that Shyan was a compassionate person who volunteered at shelters and helped people in need. "She worked downtown at different shelters and she loved paying for homeless people's foods or stuff like that," Victoria said. "She was just so nice a person that we can't imagine, we're so devastated that she didn't make it through the scooter collision."

The family is urging people of all ages to wear helmets when riding e-scooters. "They should wear the helmets to protect themselves in any future injuries or fatal deaths like my sister," Victoria said. "Any ages, like youth to older people, I still see them wearing no helmets. It doesn't matter how old you are or how much you learn to drive, it's still important to wear the helmet."

Olivia said wearing a helmet could prevent other families from experiencing the same devastating loss. The family has launched a GoFundMe to help cover expenses surrounding Shyan's death.

Vancouver resident Miranda Boire became concerned about e-scooter safety after seeing young people riding recklessly near her apartment. She created a public service announcement about the issue online. "A lot of other cultures really foster that sense of community and we don't so much here," Boire said. "I really believe in just caring about how your neighbours are doing and about the safety of other people."