e-Scooter accidents can prove deadly, St John warns during National Road Safety Week

• St John WA attended around 250 e-scooter accidents since January 1, 2021, which equates to about 15 accidents per month.
• Most of the accidents were a Priority 1, meaning life threatening.
• Key factors appeared to be collisions with vehicles, bicycles or pedestrians, alcohol and/or excess speed.

St John WA is warning e-scooter riders to avoid alcohol and excessive speed – particularly as the hours grow darker over the winter months – as part of National Road Safety Week (May 15 -22).

St John’s paramedics attend an average of 15 e-scooter accidents a month, most of which are life-threatening and involving predominantly male riders.

Out of the 250 accidents needing an ambulance since the start of last year, key factors were collisions with vehicles, bicycles or pedestrians, where alcohol and/or excess speed may have been involved.

St John’s Executive Director Ambulance Operations, Deon Brink, said hills also presented a problem.

“Many of the e-scooter accidents we attend are people not complying with speed and safety rules,” Mr Brink said.

“Wear a helmet, abide by speed limits, ride responsibly and preferably not late at night or in the early hours of the morning.”