Alarm over increase in scooter injuries

ALMOST three senior Victorians a week are crashing or being struck by mobility scooters and ending up in hospitals, leading to calls for regulation or even registration.

Over the past decade more than 1000 Victorians over 50 have been treated in emergency departments as the mobility scooter injury toll has climbed more than 50 per cent.

The extent of head, leg and other injuries has been so severe half the victims have had to be admitted to hospital or transferred for further treatment, Monash Accident Research Centre figures show.

As the injury toll mounts the Senate is reviewing mobility scooters, led by NSW Senator John Williams who believes regulation is needed.

“We can do nothing and the figures will only get worse as the number of scooters increases with our ageing population,” Senator Williams said.

“Or we can get some regulation in to make it safer for riders, pedestrians and car users.

“One of my gripes is that in most states these scooters have the same regulations as pedestrians but can travel twice as fast.

“My wife was hit by a mobility scooter and needed a total hip replacement but it could have been far worse.”

Last year 131 senior Victorians landed in emergency departments with mobility scooter-related injuries, up from 59 in 2008-09 and 84 in 2007-08.

While 560 of the 1000 were hurt after falling, in 150 cases a person was hurt after crashing into another motor vehicle.