A new road safety campaign showing the painful and potentially deadly consequences of the dangerous and illegal use of e-scooters has been launched by the state government.
Public and Active Transport Minister Gabrielle Williams today joined the Transport Accident Commission to launch the new e-scooter safety campaign – If you think e-scooters are a toy, think again.
“E-scooters are an increasingly popular way for Victorians to get around, and our new laws are helping create a safer environment for riders and pedestrians,” she said.
“Riders can help keep themselves and others safe by doing the right thing, and this new campaign will be a wake-up call for those who think they are harmless and fun toys.”
The campaign follows the introduction of tough laws targeting dangerous riding behaviour – including increased penalties for riding without a helmet, riding on a footpath, and carrying a passenger.
Riders caught under the influence of drugs or alcohol are subject to the same rules as motorists – and risk losing their licence.
Central to the campaign is a selection of videos that showcase toy characters riding dangerously and end with images of riders suffering serious injuries – the concept is backed by research that shows many Victorians see e-scooters as toys and fail to understand the key laws relating to e-scooter use which can have painful consequences
Data shows the most common e-scooter-related injuries requiring hospitalisation include limb, head and facial injuries – and the risk of severe injury or death is even greater when the rider is breaking the road rules, including not wearing a helmet or drink-riding.
The campaign runs until Sunday, January 26 across a wide range of multimedia platforms.
More information: transport.vic.gov.au/Road-rules-and-safety/E-scooter-road-rules
