Scooter riders at far higher risk of injury: TAC survey

Scooter riders are less likely to wear protective gear and more likely to get broken bones, cuts and bruises than other motorcyclists on Victorian roads, a new study has found.

The Transport Accident Commission this week released the findings of research examining nearly 1000 motorcyclists injured in Victoria between

2010 and 2014.

It found 35 per cent of scooter riders failed to wear protective gear other than helmets, compared to 15 per cent of other motorcyclists. Scooter riders were more likely to wear sneakers or other non-motorcycle footwear.

The report also found 23 per cent of scooter riders received bruises, cuts or abrasions. This contrasted with 15 per cent who received similar injuries but were riding other motorbikes.

Scooter riders were also more likely to suffer fractured limbs than other motorcyclists (34 per cent compared to 29 per cent).

TAC Senior Road Safety Manager Samantha Cockfield said the research highlighted a link between the amount of protective gear a rider wears and the types of injuries received in an accident.

“The research shows that wearing protective clothing and gloves matters, regardless of the type of motorcycle you ride, where you ride and how far you travel,” Ms Cockfield said.

“Many scooter riders live and work in inner-suburban and built-up areas and only make short, low-speed trips.

“Because of this, some people who ride scooters might think they don’t need to wear leathers, motorcycle boots or even gloves – but if there’s an accident, the right protective gear could be the only thing between you and serious injury.

“This research shows that low-speed accidents can result in extremely serious and painful injuries and the value of protective gear cannot be under-estimated,” Ms Cockfield said.