E-Scooter Trial: Over 500 Injuries Reported in Melbourne, Councils Divided on Future
New data reveals that over 500 individuals reported injuries, with 17 classified as serious, due to crashes involving or being hit by hired e-scooters during Melbourne's two-and-a-half-year trial. The trial, operated by Lime and Neuron, spanned three local council areas between February 2022 and August 2024.
Melbourne & Yarra Councils Cease Operations, State Government Declares Success
The City of Melbourne terminated its contract with Lime and Neuron in August 2024. Lord Mayor Nick Reece stated that scooters were "creating havoc" on footpaths, citing safety as the primary concern. Similarly, Lime and Neuron ceased operations in the City of Yarra in March 2024 after the council increased its daily fee per scooter.
Despite these local council actions, the state government declared the hire-scooter trial a success in July 2024 and subsequently legalized both hire schemes and privately owned e-scooters. At that time, specific information regarding recorded crashes and injuries was not released.
Detailed Injury and Complaint Statistics
Data obtained via a freedom-of-information request paints a clearer picture of the trial's impact:
- Lime and Neuron received 558 reports of injuries.
- 180 people required medical treatment.
- 16 individuals were hospitalized for over 24 hours.
- One scooter rider sustained life-threatening injuries.
- No fatal crashes were reported.
- Pedestrians and other third parties accounted for 37 injuries, with 15 requiring medical treatment and 4 being hospitalized for over 24 hours.
Beyond direct injuries, the trial generated a significant number of amenity complaints:
- The companies received 4837 complaints about improperly parked scooters.
- 407 instances of scooters being dumped in water bodies were recorded.
Operators Defend Safety, Lord Mayor Stands Firm
Lime and Neuron maintain that their scooters represent a relatively safe mode of transport. They reported 9.4 million trips during the trial period, with 99.994% of journeys concluding safely. They also noted 0.073 serious injuries per 100,000 kilometers traveled.
"Our devices are speed-limited to 20km/h, insured, and operate with public oversight."
– Will Peters, head of Asia Pacific for Lime
A Neuron spokesperson added that Melbourne was one of its busiest cities for e-scooter trips before the City of Melbourne suspended its partnership, noting that most riders behaved responsibly. However, Lord Mayor Nick Reece reiterated that ending the e-scooter contract was the correct decision, prioritizing public safety due to the injuries and footpath obstructions.
Personal Impact and Unresolved Legal Concerns
The consequences of e-scooter incidents can be severe for individuals. Adelaide resident Julia Miller suffered a broken shoulder and elbow in April 2022 after being struck by a Lime scooter rider. Almost four years later, she experiences limited arm use and balance difficulties and is seeking compensation from Lime.
"Early in the trial, pedestrians injured by hire scooters faced difficulties claiming insurance if the rider was not wearing a helmet or broke other road rules."
Nick Mann, a principal at Polaris Lawyers, reported numerous inquiries from individuals seriously injured by e-scooters. While insurance policies have reportedly improved, Mann highlighted "critical gaps" that may leave people without adequate coverage. He recommended that rental companies be required to register e-scooters with the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) scheme for better protection.
Port Phillip Continues Trial, Experts Urge Broader Reforms
In contrast to Melbourne and Yarra, Port Phillip Mayor Alex Makin expressed comfort in continuing collaboration with Lime and Neuron. He cited that hire scooters provide a valuable service for public transport gaps, noting 31,000 hire scooter trips and five minor incidents in December, asserting that e-scooter usage appears responsible. Mayor Makin also mentioned that safety and amenity concerns have been addressed by operators through technology such as footpath-riding detection, slow-riding, no-go zones, and no-parking zones.
However, Victoria Walks chief executive Sarah Pilgrim emphasized that scheme expansion should only occur with effective measures to keep scooters off footpaths, enforceable parking rules, improved on-road riding infrastructure, national safety standards, and no-fault insurance for injured third parties.
"Even a small number of crashes involving fast, heavy devices on footpaths can have serious consequences, impacting public safety and potentially reducing walking."
Data Collection and Context
It is important to note that the injury data is based solely on reports made to Lime and Neuron by riders or third parties and may not encompass all injuries or exclude false reports. These data were included in monthly reports to councils during the trial. The Age filed an FOI request for these reports in July 2024. After Lime and Neuron initially sought to prevent their release, a combined incident dataset was agreed upon during mediation at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
Separately, TAC data for the same February 2022 to August 2024 period shows 13 road deaths in the Melbourne, Yarra, and Port Phillip council areas, all involving pedestrians hit by vehicles.