Today we’re joined by Professor Kirsten Vallmuur, Chair of Trauma Surveillance and Data Analytics at the Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation. She’s one of the country’s top experts on injury prevention, and she’s here to talk about the shocking rise in serious e-scooter accidents across Australia.

With the tragic death of an 18-year-old in Townsville and new data showing a sharp spike in head and facial injuries, the warnings are clear: e-scooters are becoming a major health risk, especially for private riders travelling at speed without helmets.

Professor Vallmuur breaks down the numbers, explains who’s most at risk, and what needs to change — from mandatory helmet laws to national safety regulations — before more lives are lost.

Key issues covered:
• Why private e-scooter users face the highest risk
• The rise in hospital presentations and intensive care cases
• What states and cities can do to curb the injury surge
• How you can ride safer

If you ride an e-scooter — or share the roads with someone who does — this episode is a must-listen.