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Road authorities around Australia have warned there will be stricter enforcement of the current e-scooter laws following a rise in severe e-scooter-related accidents in states like Queensland.
As previously reported by Drive, new research conducted by the Royal Automotive Club of Queensland (RACQ) – in conjunction with the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Foundation – found a staggering 58 per cent of e-scooter accidents in the state resulted in drastic facial and head injuries.
Dr Andrew Hobbins, the Medical Director of Trauma Service at Sunshine Coast Hospital, said “We are seeing on average one paediatric e-scooter-related injury every three days, with many resulting in life-threatening or potentially life-threatening injuries”.
Dr Hobbins said these injuries are frequently seen among “teenagers aged 14–15 and result in life-changing injuries including significant brain injuries, facial trauma, and limb fractures”.
“Many of these injuries are the result of risk-taking behaviours, including riding at excessive speeds, doubling [two people riding one device] and not wearing helmets,” he added.
Sunshine Coast District Officer Acting Superintendent Chris Toohey said police would enforce e-scooter laws amid increased accidents.
“We've seen too many instances of children and adults riding e-scooters and e-bikes illegally and dangerously, which can lead to crashes and serious injury,” Acting Superintendent Toohey said in a media statement.
“The community concern for these riders, and the other road users and pedestrians, is growing and we're taking action. This is about safety and saving lives.”
Ahead of the festive season, where you're more likely to see riders on local roads, here’s your refresher on the e-scooter laws across every Australian state and territory.
Do you have to wear a helmet when riding an e-scooter in Australia?
Yes, every Australian state and territory has made it mandatory for all e-scooter riders to wear a helmet when operating these personal mobility devices.
Riders who are caught not wearing a helmet can face fines ranging from $50 to $3200 depending on the state or territory.
How old do you have to be to ride an e-scooter in New South Wales?
You must be at least 16 years old to ride an e-scooter in New South Wales.
However, e-scooters used for public roads and road-related areas are only currently operating as part of a trial in the state, and this trial is limited to these devices being hired from official operators and is only legal in designated trial zones around the state.
Additionally, hired e-scooters must observe a maximum speed of 10km/h on shared paths and 20km/h on roads and bicycle lanes.
Privately owned e-scooters cannot be used on public roads and are limited to use on personal property.
For a full explainer of the e-scooter trials and the road rules, visit the NSW state government website here.
Can you carry a passenger while you're riding an e-scooter in New South Wales?
No, you cannot ride with an extra passenger when you’re riding on an e-scooter in New South Wales. Carrying another passenger while you’re on an e-scooter can result in a $136 penalty.
How old do you have to be to ride an e-scooter in Victoria?
You must be at least 16 years old to operate e-scooters and personal mobility devices in Victoria.
According to Victoria Police, legal e-scooters are defined as:
In Victoria, e-scooter riders – whether using a personal or hired device – are subject to a maximum speed limit of 20km/h and cannot ride on public roads with speed limits above 60km/h.
Additionally, any e-scooter rider found operating an e-scooter that can exceed 25km/h will be classified as driving an unregistered vehicle, which can result in a $988 fine.
It’s worth noting the Melbourne City Council has banned the use of e-scooters on CBD roads, joining the likes of other global cities like Montréal, Paris, Rome and Toronto in banning this personal mobility device on metropolitan streets.
Depending on council laws, e-scooter riders are still permitted to use e-scooters on roads and shared paths in the state.
Can you carry a passenger when you’re riding an e-scooter in Victoria?
No, you cannot ride an e-scooter with another passenger on board. Depending on the severity of the offence, offenders caught violating this road rule can face a $198–$247 penalty.
For a full list of e-scooter road rules in Victoria, visit the Department of Transport website here.
How old do you have to be to ride an e-scooter in Queensland?
Legal riders must at least be 16 years old to operate an e-scooter in Queensland. Children under the age of 12 are also permitted to ride an e-scooter in the state, provided they have a supervising adult with them.
E-scooter riders in Queensland must stick to legal road locations to operate the personal mobility device.
These include bike lanes on roads with a speed limit of 50km/h or less, “any bike lane that is physically separated from other lanes of traffic”, and local streets that are 50km/h or less and no dividing lines.
Regardless of the location, e-scooter riders in Queensland are restricted to a speed limit of 25km/h or less.
Can you carry a passenger on an e-scooter in Queensland?
No, it is illegal to carry another person while riding on an e-scooter in Queensland. Guilty offenders can be hit with a $161 penalty for breaching the road rule.
For a full list of Queensland’s e-scooter laws and potential fines and penalties, visit Queensland’s state government website here.
How old do you have to be to ride an e-scooter in South Australia?
You must be 18 years old or older to ride an e-scooter in South Australia.
These personal mobility devices are currently being trialled across the state and are currently restricted to use in specific sites located in the Adelaide Central Business District, North Adelaide, as well as Norwood, Payneham and St Peters councils.
During the trial, privately owned e-scooters are banned on public roads and can only be used on private property.
According to the SA Government, “If you are caught riding an e-scooter that’s not approved for this trial, you may be fined $1500 for driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle”.
Can you carry a passenger on an e-scooter in South Australia?
No, it is illegal to carry another passenger while you're operating an e-scooter in South Australia. According to the current legislation, e-scooter riders found to be “carrying, being carried as, passenger” can face a $121 expiation fee and/or a maximum $2500 penalty for disobeying the law.
How old do you have to be to ride an e-scooter in Western Australia?
E-scooter riders must be at least 16 years old to operate these devices on Western Australian roads.
While the state government didn't specify if the rules apply to privately owned or hired e-scooters, by definition, a legal electric rideable device such as a scooter:
Similar to other states and territories, Western Australia has a maximum speed limit of 25km/h for e-scooter riders operating on carriageways, bicycle paths or any shared paths. However, they are subject to 10km/h on a footpath.
Can you carry a passenger on an e-scooter in Western Australia?
No, it is illegal to carry any passenger or animal while operating an e-scooter in Western Australia. Failure to follow this law can result in a $50 infringement notice.
For a full list of e-scooter road rules in WA, visit the state government website here.
How old do you have to be to ride an e-scooter in Tasmania?
In Tasmania, e-scooter riders must be at least 16 years of age or older to operate these personal mobility devices on local footpaths, shared paths, bicycle lanes and some public roads.
According to the state government, privately owned or hired e-scooters can be used in Tasmania. Additionally, children under the age of 16 are eligible to ride motorised scooters, provided it does not exceed 200 watts and 10km/h.
Similar to other states and territories, e-scooter riders in Tasmania must stick to a maximum speed limit of 15km/h on footpaths and 25km/h on shared paths, bicycle lanes and roads.
Can you carry a passenger on an e-scooter in Tasmania?
No, it is illegal to carry another passenger or animal when riding an e-scooter in Tasmania. Offenders caught breaching this road rule can face a $146.25 penalty.
If you want to know more about what you cannot do on an e-scooter in Tasmania, visit the Department of Transport Tasmania's website here.
How old do you have to be to ride an e-scooter in the Australian Capital Territory?
E-scooter riders residing in the Australian Capital Territory must be 12 years old or older to operate these personal mobility devices in the territory. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a supervising adult when riding an e-scooter on public roads.
According to ACT's Department of Transport, e-scooter riders are subjected to a maximum speed limit of 15km/h on footpaths and 25km/h on shared paths, bicycle paths or "the bicycle side of separated paths". Additionally, riders must slow down to 10km/h when "approaching or travelling across a crossing".
Can you carry a passenger on an e-scooter in the Australian Capital Territory?
No, you cannot carry a passenger while you're operating an e-scooter in the ACT. According to 244HA of ACT's Road Transport Regulation, a person is considered committing an offence "if the person travels in or on a personal mobility device and another person is in or on the device".
Guilty offenders can be hit with a maximum fine of 20 penalty units currently valued at $3200.
How old do you have to be to ride an e-scooter in the Northern Territory?
You have to be 18 years old or older to operate a hired e-scooter in the Northern Territory. However, the Northern Territory Government stated that e-scooters can only be used in public places "if they're provided by Beam Mobility Australia".
Similar to South Australia and New South Wales, private e-scooters are banned for use on public NT roads and can only be operated on private property.
Additionally, riders can only operate e-scooters in distinct locations across Darwin. E-scooter operators are restricted to 15km/h, but the territory government did not specify if this maximum speed limit applies to all legal roads.
Can you carry a passenger on an e-scooter in the Northern Territory?
According to the NT government, e-scooter riders are forbidden to carry passengers when using these personal mobility devices. However, it did not state what the fines and penalties would be for riders who breach this road rule.
Ethan Cardinal graduated with a Journalism degree in 2020 from La Trobe University and has been working in the fashion industry as a freelance writer prior to joining Drive in 2023. Ethan greatly enjoys investigating and reporting on the cross sections between automotive, lifestyle and culture. Ethan relishes the opportunity to explore how deep cars are intertwined within different industries and how they could affect both casual readers and car enthusiasts.
