Young Canberrans are the most likely to ditch a helmet while riding e-scooters, a new study finds.
International student Iris said she normally wears a helmet, but there wasn't one on her e-scooter on Tuesday.
"I forgot to wear it today, but I don't know if it's mandatory to wear one or not," she said.
"Also I feel like my head is too big, so I can't fit my head in the helmet!"
She's a frequent e-scooter rider, as she said it's the easiest way to get around town.
"If I take a scooter it only takes me 10 minutes to get into town, it's so convenient for me," she said.
Non-use of helmets still too common
A lack of understanding and respect for the law are the biggest reasons people don't wear helmets, according to the report.
Some 360 people across Canberra were asked about their helmet-wearing habits by the Queensland University of Technology.
Of those surveyed, 29 per cent of riders reported riding without a helmet in the past 30 days, a quarter had worn a helmet at least once during that period and five per cent had consistently not worn a helmet.
Of those who didn't wear a helmet, a quarter said they disagreed with the mandatory helmet law and 28 per cent said they didn't even know they were legally required to wear a helmet.
Non-helmet wearers were significantly younger than those who wear helmets, according to the study. Riders using shared e-scooters were also more likely to not wear a helmet than those using private scooters.
The report noted that hygiene concerns, discomfort and availability of helmets had little impact on riders choosing to wear them.
Riders not wearing helmets were more likely to speed on footpaths, use a phone while riding and not use lights.
Risky behavior like riding when intoxicated also had a strong association with people not wearing helmets.
E-scooter injuries frequent sight at Canberra hospitals
It's mandatory to wear a helmet while riding a scooter in the ACT. Riders not wearing helmets can be fined $151.
Common beliefs that e-scooters are "harmless toys" that aren't dangerous contribute to people not wearing helmets, the study concluded.
Hundreds of Canberrans injure themselves riding scooters every year, with riders presenting at emergency with broken arms and other injuries.
Data from Canberra Health Services found that one-in-five injuries from riding e-scooters happened while the person was intoxicated.
Low enforcement of helmet wearing and a sense of anonymity from the lack of number plates also contribute to people behaving recklessly on e-scooters.
