Privately owned electric scooters are now legal in Victoria.

In Victoria, a legal e-scooter is a device which:

• has a maximum speed of 25 km/h when ridden on level ground
• transports a person while the person is standing
• has two wheels (one in front of the other)
• has a footboard between the front and rear wheels
• is steered by a handlebar.

What you must do:

E-scooter riders MUST:

• be aged 16 or over
• wear a helmet
• ride a maximum speed of 20 km/h

Ride on:

• shared-use paths
• bicycle paths
• roads with a speed limit of up to 60 km/h
• use flashing or steady from and rear lights, if riding at night or in low light
• park your e-scooter somewhere that does not disrupt pedestrians or pose a safety hazard
• keep to approved areas if using a hired e-scooter.

What you can't do

If you're riding an e-scooter, you can't:

• ride on the footpath
• ride on roads with a speed limit above 60km/h
• ride an e-scooter that can go faster than 25 km/h
• ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol (you can be breath tested and lose your licence)
• use a mobile phone
• carry passengers or animals
• ride in tandem (side by side).

Links to check you local laws

Across Australia, the laws pertaining to E-Scooter use varies from state to state. You should check the current laws applicable to wherever you are riding. 

• VIC - https://transport.vic.gov.au/Road-rules-and-safety/E-scooter-road-rules
• NSW - https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/road-users/e-scooters
• QLD - https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/safety/rules/wheeled-devices/personal-mobility-devices
• SA - https://mylicence.sa.gov.au/road-rules/riding_motorised_scooters
• WA - https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/road-safety-commission/erideables
• TAS - https://www.transport.tas.gov.au/road_safety_and_rules/personal_mobility_devices

It's Up To Us!

It's up to us electric scooter to ensure we always ride in a manner which is safe and respectful of other road (and shared path) users. Be courteous and considerate. Give a clear verbal warning when approaching other riders and pedestrians from behind... "Passing on your right". 

Channel 7 News story (23 Apr 2021) by Louisa Cheatley about the new Victorian Road Laws which require drivers to give cyclists more space. The story includes a Melbourne electric scooter trial announced for 2021.

News, Links & Resources:

• JULY 2021 - Infrastructure and Transport National Cabinet Reform Committee. Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs), including electric scooters and electric skateboards, have now been added to the Australian Road Rules. Read the AMENDMENT.
• SBS - Victorian government pledge $13 million for cycling infrastructure, introduce road rule (7 Oct 2020 - ARTICLE]
• Amy Gillet Foundation - "A Metre Matters" To Be Passed in Vic Alongside $13M VIC Government Support for Cycling Infrastructure [ARTICLE - 7 Oct 2020] 
• Channel 7 News story by Louisa Cheatley about the new Victorian Road Laws which require drivers to give cyclists more space. The story includes an electric scooter trial announced for 2021 [23 Apr 2021 - VIDEO]
• National Transport & Infrastructure Council [WEB SITE]
• Committee for Melbourne - Transport Taskforce [WEB SITE] 
• Committee for Melbourne - Rebuilding Melbourne with E-Transport [WEBINAR]
• The Guardian: Australian E-Scooters' Bumpy Ride: "Like When Automobiles Appeared on Streets Filled with Horses" (15 Mar 2021 - ARTICLE 
• ABC: Calls for E-Scooter Laws to Be Relaxed Across Australia [ARTICLE]
• Adelaide Advertiser: How E-Scooters Challenge Outdated Assumptions About Our Roads [ARTICLE]
• BBC: Why we have a love-hate relationship with electric scooters [ARTICLE]