South Australia Set to Legalize Private E-Scooters

In a major win for micro-mobility advocates, the South Australian government has announced plans to legalize privately owned electric scooters and other personal mobility devices like e-skateboards and electric unicycles. The new legislation, expected to be enacted in early 2025, will allow riders aged 16 and up to cruise the state's roads and pavements.

Bringing Clarity to E-Scooter Regulations

The move brings much-needed clarity to South Australia's e-scooter regulations. While Adelaide, the state's capital city, has allowed rentable e-scooters through providers like Beam and Neuron since 2019, the use of personally owned devices has remained in a legal gray zone, frustrating many riders.

"It's going to be a huge relief to a lot of people that they won't be treated as criminals for choosing an environmentally friendly way to get around," said Justin Coppock, an Adelaide resident who spent three days in jail last year after police pulled him over for riding his electric unicycle on the road.

New Rules for Personal E-Scooters

Under the new rules, personal e-scooters will be treated similarly to bicycles. Riders will need to wear helmets and stick to speed limits - 25 km/h on roads and bike lanes, and 15 km/h on footpaths. The government said police will enforce the regulations and riders will be covered by personal insurance rather than a registration scheme.

Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis expects to see an e-scooter boom once the law comes into effect, including among students riding to school. He said the rules can be adjusted based on real-world evidence, for example by raising the minimum age if younger riders prove more accident-prone.

Strong Public Support for Legalization

The legalization follows an extensive public consultation last year, where 87% of respondents supported allowing e-scooters in public spaces. The government said it will facilitate both personal use and expanded rental operations.

"Our consultation with e-scooter users and the broader community showed a clear appetite for an ongoing use of e-scooters and other personal mobility devices to be used in public spaces," said Koutsantonis. "Following commencement of the Bill, personal mobility device fleet hire operations are expected to continue and possibly expand to other locations across the state."

Infrastructure Improvements Needed

While the news has been cheered by the e-scooter community, some advocates say more needs to be done to upgrade infrastructure. Coppock, who dislocated his elbow riding over a tree root, said the state's bike lanes and footpaths need work to accommodate the expected influx of new riders safely.

"It's not just us – it's people in prams, in wheelchairs, in mobility scooters and other types of accessibility devices that need to use these paths and they are frankly in a shocking state in many council areas in Adelaide," he said.

The Road Ahead for E-Scooters in South Australia

For South Australia's e-scooter fans, 2025 can't come soon enough. As the technology improves and more people look for affordable, eco-friendly ways to get around, expect to see a lot more e-scooters zipping along the streets of Adelaide and beyond.

The state government's move to legalize personal e-scooters is a significant step forward for micro mobility in Australia. With clear regulations and, hopefully, improved infrastructure to follow, South Australia could become a model for other states looking to embrace the e-scooter revolution.