Health bodies back e-scooter crackdown after 950 injuries in over two years

Health bodies have backed Queensland’s e-scooter crackdown, saying it will ease pressures on the state’s health system after more than 950 presentations in two-and-a-half years.

Almost 1000 people have gone to hospital for e-scooter-related incidents in Brisbane over two-and-a-half years, as peak bodies support the state’s recent crackdown.

Data from the Jamieson Trauma Institute from three emergency departments in Brisbane found there were 952 e-scooter related presentations between November 2018 and June 2021, with the most common injuries being upper-limb fractures and head and facial injuries.

It was also found that the most commonly injured demographic from e-scooters were men aged 25-34 and the most common time was afternoons, night time and on the weekend.

It comes as the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons welcomed new laws in Queensland aimed at reducing the risk of death or serious injury caused from e-scooters.

The laws will be enforced from Tuesday and include changes to speed limits and significantly increased fines for speeding or breaching road rules.

From November 1, e-scooter riders could be fined $1078 for using their phones while riding, $431 for drink driving, $575 for speeding more than 30km/h, $143 for doubling with two or more people and $172 for driving on prohibited roads.

Riders will also face reduced speed limits of 12km/h on footpaths and shared paths unless otherwise signed.

RACS Queensland Trauma’s Professor Kristen Vallmuur welcomed the new measures and encouraged similar action in other jurisdictions.

“Since their introduction, e-scooter related trauma has increased substantially, with injuries and deaths related to e-scooter use placing further pressure on first responders as well as hospital and health systems,” Professor Vallmuur said.

RACS will soon release a position paper which will highlight their support for a nationally consistent approach that prioritises safety for riders, pedestrians and members of the community, Professor Vallmuur said.

“We congratulate the Queensland Government for taking regulatory action in this area. We encourage all other states and territories across Australia to follow suit,” she said.

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman from Queensland Ambulance Service said the organisation supported the promotion of safety on state roads.

“The QAS supports any initiative to keep e-scooter riders or pedestrians safer and to limit injuries,” she said.