In short:
More than one in four injured Victorian e-scooter riders were children under the legal riding age, new research has found. The study also highlighted the severity of many injuries and renewed calls for greater safety awareness.
More Than A Quarter Of Injuries Were Underaged
More than one in four injured e-scooter riders treated by Victorian ambulance and hospital services were children under the legal riding age, according to new Victorian research.
The RACV-funded study, led by the Royal Melbourne Hospital, examined 644 e-scooter and e-bike injuries recorded by Ambulance Victoria and five emergency departments between November 2025 and May 2026.
Of the 482 injured e-scooter riders, 133 were under the legal riding age of 16. Patients ranged in age from three to 83 years, with most being male.
Common Risk Factors
Head injuries occurred in 26 per cent of e-scooter crashes, compared with 16 per cent of e-bike injuries.
Researchers also found 61 per cent of injured riders were not wearing protective equipment, while 24 per cent were not wearing a helmet. Another 23 per cent were riding devices capable of exceeding Victoria’s 25 km/h speed limit.
Lead researcher Associate Professor Elyssia Bourke said the findings reflected what emergency clinicians had been seeing.
“Many people associate e-scooter crashes with minor incidents, but our research found substantial numbers requiring significant medical care.”
Serious Toll Revealed
Many riders required extensive hospital treatment. Among patients, 92 per cent underwent medical imaging, 30 per cent were admitted directly to surgical wards and 58 per cent required surgery.
Four per cent were admitted to intensive care, while 35 riders sustained life-threatening injuries. One person died.
The study also found half of surveyed adults missed work following their injuries, while almost half reported out-of-pocket costs averaging about $600.
RACV Head of Policy James Williams said parents should understand children under 16 cannot legally ride e-scooters in Victoria.
“E-scooters are not a toy,” he said.
Researchers are calling for improved injury monitoring, further investigation into the role of speed in serious crashes and continued public education.
In Victoria, riders must be at least 16 years old, wear a fitted helmet and follow the state’s speed and road rules.
FOLLOW US
