Moped and motor scooter licensing and training: Current approaches and future challenges

Unlike some European countries, there have been few motor scooters and mopeds on Australian roads and licensing and training of these riders has received little attention. However, recent increases in the sales of scooters (many of which are officially mopeds) have stimulated interest in how these vehicles can be best managed in Australia. This paper reviews local and international approaches to moped and motor scooter licensing and training, and seeks to assess their relevance to the current Australian situation. A number of challenges to developing a coherent licensing and training system are identified and discussed: lack of information regarding moped and motor scooter safety and about the safety outcomes of current licensing and training systems, the absence of official definitions of scooters worldwide, the significant growth in this market, whether different licensing and training requirements should apply to tourists, and the status of similar vehicles.