The Government is reviewing its stance on electric scooter riders wearing helmets, as the Accident Compensation Corporation reveals almost 900 people have been injured while using e-scooters in New Zealand, with more claims coming in every week.
Most injuries were to knees, arms and wrists, with 67 people sustaining head injuries - among them Dunedin student Renee Whitehouse.
Ms Whitehouse's friend. John Cosgrove, told 1 NEWS Renee is still in the ICU and her condition is still very serious.
"She hasn't woken up yet, so there's a lot that we don't know," he said.
The 26-year-old California woman was critically injured after colliding with a truck at an intersection while riding a Lime scooter home from work one week ago.
"Every injury she has is where a helmet would have protected her," Mr Cosgrove said.
New research out of the US has found that 96 per cent of people admitted to hospital with e-scooter injuries were not wearing helmets.
While the New Zealand Government has steered clear of imposing helmet regulations, preferring instead to push rider responsibility, it is now taking another look.
"The issue of whether people are required to wear helmets when they're using Lime scooters, for example on the road or on a cycleway, we will weigh that up and consider all the options," Transport Minister Phil Twyford said.
Currently, helmets are compulsory for cyclists, but not electric scooter users.
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