Professor Denis Cusack:

I gave about 50 papers summarising experiences from around Australia, Europe and the US. I can tell the committee about e-scooters. The Senator asked if there was anything we could ask the committee as legislators to help with. The evidence is for helmets, including a study in our own jurisdiction. Head injuries are devastating. E-scooters must have protective gear and particularly on the head. Studies in Europe have shown that alcohol and the use of e-scooters is a problem. More than one passenger is also an issue. Something else that I found surprising is that in two or three of the studies, which I recently presented to the Department of Transport, a significant number of injuries were of pedestrians.