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RACQ is reminding Queenslanders over the festive period that electric scooters are not the way to get around if they have been drinking alcohol. 

Principal Technical Researcher Andrew Kirk said while it was great to see more of the devices being used as a mode of transport, riding after drinking could result in serious injury, or worse. 

“RACQ research found far too many people aren’t taking safety on e-scooters seriously, 27% of e-scooter users surveyed admitted to riding under the influence of alcohol,” Mr Kirk explained.

“It’s reckless, illegal, and dangerous. Not only could you lose your licence, seriously injure, or kill yourself, but you also risk injuring others.

“With the festive season in full swing, we want people to remember that it’s not a good idea to jump on an e-scooter if they’ve been drinking and if you’re getting one for Christmas, make sure you know the road rules before you take it for a ride.”

Metro North Health’s Jamieson Trauma Institute researcher and Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital (RBWH) Emergency Department Doctor Gary Mitchell said alcohol played a major role in e-scooter presentations to the emergency department (ED).

“At RBWH we’re seeing anywhere from 40 to 60 e-scooter presentations a month. These are people with significant injuries who are ending up in a tertiary trauma centre,” Dr Mitchell said. 

“We’ve gathered data from more than 950 e-scooter presentations and found about 30% of those presentations had alcohol in their system, which we believe is an underestimate.

“We’ve also found people are three times more likely to be admitted to hospital if they’ve consumed alcohol and they’re more likely to have a severe injury which is why we’re urging people not to get on a scooter if they’ve been drinking.”

In August, RACQ and the RBWH Foundation donated a combined $200,000 to the Jamieson Trauma Institute to fund research into e-scooter injuries. The results will be used to shape policy and improve user safety.