Deeply intoxicated and badly injured e-scooter users are creating a headache for the public health system, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars as they suffer grisly injuries, according to new medical research.
The study, believed to be the first of its kind in the Northern Territory, tracked the impact of the devices on the public health system since their numbers exploded on the streets of Darwin almost three years ago.
It found alcohol levels for e-scooter victims in the NT — which has the nation's highest rates of alcohol consumption — far exceeded those of other studies of this kind.
The major e-scooter company has downplayed the findings, saying 99.99 per cent of rides in Darwin ended safely.
But the researchers found there were 111 emergency department presentations over the eight-month period to September 2021, for injuries ranging from brain bleeds to broken spines and facial fractures.
Limb and head injuries were most common, almost all accidents were from falling, and all but three of the presentations were from incidents with rented scooters.
The total cost on inpatient admissions alone was more than $350,000.
E-scooter company Neuron Mobility defended its safety record as excellent.
"The report shows less than 0.16 per cent, or 111 of the estimated 70,000 hospital presentations [over the studied period], were attributed to injuries related to either private or rental e-scooters," a company spokesperson said.
"While this number is comparatively low, we are always looking for ways to reduce risks further."
The researchers concluded further harm-reduction strategies were needed to stop riders injuring themselves while drunk.
Average blood-alcohol level of 0.18 per cent
The company has introduced various targeted measures to reduce late-night harm since Darwin's e-scooter trial began at the start of 2020.
But given high levels of alcohol consumption, and amid concerns the injury rate wasn't being recorded, NT Health and Charles Darwin University researchers probed the effect on an already strained health system.
They found at least 50 of the patients they studied were intoxicated (although others declined to be tested), contrary to rules requiring riders to be sober, wear a helmet and not carry passengers.
The average blood alcohol content of injured riders tested for alcohol was 0.18 per cent.
"The alcohol levels reported for patients in the present study far exceeded those found in previous work," the authors wrote.
"The current data is supportive of the link between intoxication while riding e-scooters and increased injury severity."
While about half of the presentations were covered by a motor vehicle accident insurance scheme, the bill for the Top End hospital system reached $135,000.
Neuron's current trial is due to expire at the end of November.
The City of Darwin council, which permitted the trial, said it would refer safety issues to Neuron and legislative issues to the Northern Territory government.
