On 5 April 2023, the Victorian Government announced an expansion of the e-scooter trial to further assess whether e-scooters can be incorporated into the transport network. The trial has been extended for a further 6 months so the current settings are scheduled to end on 4 October 2024.
The key changes include:
- The expansion of the trial to cover all of Victoria
- People may use a privately owned e-scooter as long as it cannot go faster than 25kph
- Commercial operators such as Lime and Neuron may enter into arrangements with any local council within Victoria.
For details about the trial and the rules, please refer to the e-scooter information page on the VicRoads website.
Does TAC coverage apply to e-scooter riders?
The e-scooters that can lawfully participate in the trial are not considered to be a ‘motor vehicle’ under Victorian road law so TAC coverage does not apply.
However, the TAC can consider a claim when an e-scooter rider’s injuries were caused by the direct driving of a motor vehicle (such as a car, motorcycle, van, bus, etc.), train or a tram. For example, when a car collides into an e-scooter.
People riding a high-powered e-scooter (capable of travelling faster than 25 kph) may also be eligible to make a TAC claim if they are injured in an accident as these are considered to be an ‘unregistered motor vehicle’ under Victorian road law. Because you cannot hold a licence for this class of motor vehicle, the TAC will not be able to pay you for any lost income for up to 18 months after an accident.
For more information, please refer to the Transport Accidents policy.