It’s been a disturbing month for electric scooter-related accidents in South-East Queensland, and around the country, with alarming statistics continuing to rise in both the numbers and severity of injuries, now overtaking those of bicycles.
This week the Australian Medical Association reported trauma surgeons were treating one serious head injury per day, with RBWH confirming e-scooters as being the fourth most common cause of trauma, behind cars, falls and motorcycle accidents.
Also this week, a crash between two cars and an e-scooter in Pimpama saw three people seriously injured, forcing the closure of Creek Street, a critical service road for first-responders, all of which affected peak-hour traffic on M1, central CBD, and Greater Brisbane.
Data from the Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit showed 2023 e-scooter presentations increased nearly 330% since 2020, now surpassing those of cyclists.
The severity of e-scooter injuries has been increasingly traumatic, with more than 50% of patients suffering severe head and facial presentations, a precursor to the recent announcement of the return of Lime scooters to Brisbane in July.
The need for users to be aware of safety precautions, and what to do in the event of an accident, is why Murphy’s Law Accident Lawyers is providing a publicly-available “cheat sheet” to help inform and prevent any further injuries on our roads… or our footpaths.