E-bike death toll climbs, Qld government faces calls to fast-track parliamentary inquiry

Police and doctors warn of mounting e-bike crisis as Queensland government faces pressure to fast-track safety reforms after 10 deaths this year. VOTE IN OUR POLL

One of Queensland’s top cops has pleaded with parents to “just say no” to controversial e-bikes amid calls for the state government to take “immediate” action after yet another young life was lost in the growing crisis.

Just two days after an eight-year-old boy was killed in an e-bike collision on the Sunshine Coast, a 15-year-old Gold Coast boy died after crashing an electric dirt bike near a Broadbeach pedestrian crossing in the early hours of Saturday morning.

There are mounting safety fears – and rising death tolls, involving e-bikes, e-scooters and electric motorbikes, which have combined for a total of 10 deaths in Queensland this year, but a state government inquiry into the controversial vehicles is not due to table a report to parliament until next year.

The inquiry was originally expected to be completed by the end of the year before being pushed back to March, prompting calls for immediate action “to protect our children” from the Australian Medical Association Queensland and leading transport expert Milad Haghani.

Zeke Hondow, 8, was killed in an e-bike collision on the Sunshine Coast on Thursday.

AMAQ President Doctor Nick Yim said medics were “horrified” by the increasing number of serious injuries suffered by e-scooter and e-bike riders and called for a minimum age of 16 to be enforced immediately, even before the conclusions of the current investigation are delivered to parliament.

At present, children aged 12-15 are allowed to ride the vehicles “under direct supervision”.

Associate Professor Haghani called for the government probe to be fast-tracked so decision-makers could pull the trigger now on urgently-needed reforms.

However, Acting Transport Minister Sam O’Connor said “the inquiry must be given adequate time to..... consider all the issues of this complex challenge”.

Speaking to media on Saturday, Chief Superintendent Kylie Rigg of Queensland Police implored parents to research whether the e-bikes or e-scooters they were buying for their kids were legally allowed to be on Queensland roads and if in doubt, rule it out.

“It is really concerning … we’re in the lead up to Christmas, and we know that people buy gifts for their children, and this is something I know through my 15 year old son – is on the Christmas list,” she said.

“I urge parents and caregivers of young children who wish to have these devices to check that they are compliant, to be doing your research, check that they can be on the roadway with that device.

“And if they cannot, please just say no.

“It is simply too risky for our children to be on the roadway with these devices with such a level of skill that is simply not there.”

The Worongary teen killed on Saturday was riding a SurRon Ultra Bee Electric Dirt Bike – a machine which sells for almost $10,000 brand new and can reach speeds of up to 90km/h, but is not legally allowed on Queensland roads.

Chief Supt Rigg said they were “unregistered, high powered trail bikes”.

“They’re not bicycles, and they have battery assistance (and) riders of that age simply do not have the skills to be riding these e-bikes,” she said.

“If an e-bike can exceed six kilometres per hour under motor power alone, it is illegal to be moving on our roads.”

Dr Yim said overloaded emergency departments were being bombarded with the consequences of “entirely preventable” e -bike and e-scooter accidents.

“It is distressing to see two children losing their lives due to e-bike accidents just a few days apart (and) it is frustrating for clinicians to treat avoidable injuries, knowing the ripple effect they will have on those patients, their families and the community,” he said.

“AMAQ took a strong position to the Queensland parliamentary inquiry into e-mobility safety … including restricting riders to persons aged 16 years and older.

“We urge the government to take immediate steps to protect children from serious injury while riding personal mobility devices until the outcomes of the parliamentary inquiry are made public in March.

“We know e-scooters and e-bikes are increasingly popular, as they represent an affordable, accessible and more sustainable transport option, but we should not accept deaths and serious injuries as a trade-off to their use – particularly when we are seeing a significant number of children represented.”

Chief Superintendent Kylie Rigg implored parents to research whether the e-bikes or e-scooters they were buying for their kids were legally allowed to be on Queensland roads and if in doubt, rule it out. Pic Annette Dew

Associate Professor Haghani also said law reform was urgently needed now and should not wait until next March.

“I think it’s already been going on for too long – people have made their submissions,” he said.

“I think anybody who has wanted to make submissions, they have done so.

“And I think it’s more urgent to have regulation and reform now and don’t wait for more cases to make it even more urgent.

“I think it needs to materialise into some form of reform, regulation and risk mitigation strategies.”

Australian Road Safety Foundation general manager Donna Caley said there needed to be a mix of education and tougher regulations.

“They go hand-in-hand,” she said.

“It’s not a simple solution but the consequences can be devastating.”

Mr O’Connor said his thoughts and sympathies went out to the friends and family of the young Queenslander who lost his life at Broadbeach but the government inquiry would not be hurried.

“Tragedies like these are exactly why we established this comprehensive inquiry,” he said.

“We are determined to get the response right and first the inquiry must be given adequate time to consult widely and consider all the issues of this complex challenge.”

The Worongary teen was travelling on his e-bike with a group of friends about 3am when he lost control at a pedestrian walkway on Broadbeach Boulevard.

A nearby police officer, who had been responding to an unrelated traffic incident, rushed to the scene and performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but the boy could not be saved.

Investigations are continuing and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

His death came just two days after Mountain Creek eight-year-old Zeke Hondow died in a collision with a teenage rider on the Sunshine Coast.

An investigation into that crash is also ongoing.