Don’t bury your head in the footpath
Concerning stats from RAA have revealed that eight in 10 road users don’t know the correct minimum age or speed limits for e-scooters.
With e-scooters and e-bikes becoming a familiar sight on South Australian roads, footpaths and shared paths, they’re a convenient, affordable, fun and increasingly popular transport alternative.
But as more South Australians take to two wheels, the number of related injuries and even deaths is telling a different story.
Dedicated e-scooter laws were introduced in South Australia in July 2025, yet awareness remains dangerously low.
More than eight in 10 road users couldn’t identify the maximum speed limit for e-scooters on footpaths, and 77 per cent were unaware that 16 is the minimum age to legally ride these devices on public roads and footpaths.
SA Police has recorded 39 e-scooter injuries in SA as of early May 2026, including five serious injuries – up from 16 in December 2025.
RAA Senior Manager of Road Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain says the findings are a wake-up call.
“RAA is concerned about people buying and riding e-scooters, including parents buying them for their kids, without knowing the laws that exist to protect them,” he says.
“There’s also a cohort of riders flouting the law, causing great risk to themselves and other road users.”
E-bikes and the law
E-bikes are a growing part of this picture, and a growing concern. Many e-bikes now being sold and ridden in South Australia aren’t road-legal as they’re not pedal-assist and the motors don’t cut out at 25km/h. This means they’re legally motorbikes rather than bicycles.
Riders and parents may not realise the device they’ve purchased isn’t legal to be ridden in public, and riding an illegal e-bike carries both legal and safety consequences.
“E-bikes are surging in popularity and we’re seeing more of them on our roads and footpaths every week,” Charles says.
“But a significant number of those bikes are illegal, and many riders have no idea, or are simply disregarding the law.”
What RAA is doing
This month, RAA launched its e-scooter and e-bike safety awareness campaign – Don’t bury your head in the footpath – in a push to close knowledge gaps and make the consequences of dangerous behaviours on e-scooters and e-bikes impossible to ignore.
“E-scooters can be a convenient way for people to get around, but riders need to both know and follow the rules to keep themselves and others safe,” Charles says.
“By riding responsibly, South Australians can enjoy the benefits of e-scooters while keeping our footpaths and roads safe for everyone.”
Launching during National Road Safety Week (17–24 May), the campaign is designed to tackle two problems. First, many riders are in denial because they’ve never been hurt and don’t believe they will be.
Others simply aren’t across the rules or find it confusing. In all cases, lives are at risk.
“When an illegal e-bike travelling at speed hits a pedestrian on a shared path, the consequences can be devastating,” Charles says.
“This isn’t about discouraging people from riding, it’s about making sure they know what they’re riding and how to ride it safely.”
The campaign covers five key safety areas:
- The difference between legal and illegal e-bikes
- Minimum age requirements for e-scooters
- The heightened risks to children
- Speed limits on footpaths and roads
- Helmet requirements.
RAA’s also convening a roundtable bringing together government, industry, trauma experts and students to help drive meaningful change through the State Government’s review of e-scooter legislation expected later this year.
Want to know more about e-scooters and e-bike laws?
Find out more about RAA’s Don’t bury your head in the footpath campaign.