Researchers from SA Health and Adelaide University have been awarded grant funding from the Lifetime Support Authority to conduct research into e-scooter injury and crash mechanisms commencing in 2025.
Why study e-scooter crashes?
- The adoption of e-scooters has increased dramatically in cities globally providing convenient mobility options for people and alignment with sustainable transport objectives
- Where laws allow, e-Scooters can usually be used via a commercial hire scheme arrangement or as a privately owned device
- As with all transport modes, there are negative consequences relating to risk and injury that need to be monitored and understood
- There is a worldwide trend of increasing hospital presentations as a result of e-scooter use
- In Australia, hire scooters have usually been restricted to footpaths in specific geographic zones, are speed-limited and also require mandatory helmet-use by a single-rider with a BAC<0.05
- In the Adelaide CBD there were 808,000 hire trips recorded between December 2019 and October 2022
- Adelaide hospital emergency departments (CALHN) have observed increases in presentations of injured riders and other road users as a result of e-scooter collisions
- With increased exposure, injury numbers are expected to increase upon legalisation for the use of privately-owned devices in July 2025, see link below to Government of South Australia my licence website
- This study will provide a rare opportunity to monitor injury patterns as private use of e-scooters is legalised and increases over time
The Government of South Australia Road Rules for Personal mobility devices.
