New data has revealed the extent of e-scooter-related injuries at Ballarat Base Hospital's emergency department.
Since last December, the City of Ballarat has been running an e-scooter trial through Neuron Mobility.
From today, the city's fleet of orange scooters will grow from 250 to 400, and expand its radius to include the suburb of Lucas.
Head of Neuron Mobility Richard Hannah said "more than 60 per cent of trips have replaced car rides" during the trial.
But while nifty e-scooters are proving a popular mode of transport, data has shown riding them is not without risk of serious injury.
According to Grampians Health Ballarat, which is collecting data as part of the e-scooter trial, there were 40 e-scooter-related presentations to Ballarat Base Hospital's Emergency Department from January 1 to August 31.
This figure reflects both rental and privately owned electric scooters.
Grampians Health's chief operating officer hospitals, Ben Kelly, said exercising caution was essential when using e-scooters.
"Following the road rules and using common sense can prevent serious injury on our roads — to yourself and others," Mr Kelly said.
"Please ensure you're operating any vehicle safely and are aware of your surroundings. The 'arrive alive' message that we all know so well still rings true."
Improving safety
Mr Hannah said the "vast majority" of people using the rental e-scooters in Ballarat were using the vehicles responsibly.
"There's always a period where people are learning the rules and getting up to speed on how to use a new mode of transport," he said.
In a bid to improve safety awareness, RACV has launched an e-scooter safety video that outlines key safety tips and traffic rules for riders.
"The videos help Victorians easily understand the rules that apply to e-scooters before they jump on for a ride," RACV general manager mobility Elizabeth Kim said.
Ms Kim added that other road users, such as cars, needed to be aware e-scooters were sharing the roads.
"They are a smaller type of vehicle and sometimes can be more difficult to see," she said.
"It's about everybody being responsible, respectful and treating the other road users with consideration.
"We all have the right to use the roads and designated paths, and so the onus is on everyone to do the right thing."
