Heartbreak as 14-year-old dies after e-scooter crash

A 14-year-old Bundaberg boy has died in hospital a week after being critically injured while riding his e-scooter.

A teenager was treated by paramedics before being flown to Brisbane after a crash involving a car and e-scooter in Bundaberg. FILE PHOTO

A 14-year-old boy has died in hospital following a collision between an e-scooter and a car on April 3, 2024, in Maynard Street in Bundaberg.

On Thursday police confirmed the Avenell Heights boy died from critical injuries sustained in the collision between the e-scooter the boy was riding and a Suzuki Baleno around 2.30pm.

The teenager was flown directly from the scene to the Queensland Children’s Hospital, and he has since died in hospital from the injuries sustained in the crash.

The driver and single occupant of the Suzuki, a 21-year-old Svensson Heights man, was uninjured.

The QPS forensic crash unit were investigating the circumstances of the incident, and appealed for anyone with relevant dashcam or CCTV footage to come forward.

It was believed the boy was riding a privately owned e-scooter without a helmet when he turned into oncoming traffic.

Bundaberg Police Chief Inspector Grant Marcus has called on parents, and other e-scooter users to be more mindful on the roads when using the devices.

Bundaberg Police Chief Inspector Grant Marcus (left) with Jan Adele Hotz of the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service and for Queensland Ambulance Service Wide Bay senior operations supervisor Martin Kelly on the recent e-scooter incident which left a young Bundaberg man in a critical condition.

“This is an opportunity to remind our parents and young kids that these scooters are not a toy and shouldn’t be used as a toy,” he said immediately after the accident.

He encouraged e-scooter users to only use the machines when necessary and to obey all road regulations such as stopping at red lights and stop signs.

Inspector Marcus also called on e-scooter riders to ensure they were wearing helmets when using the devices, regardless of speed.

“Unfortunately the rider has got quite significant head injuries and a helmet probably would have prevented the seriousness of those head injuries,” he said.

“Regardless of whether you are wearing a helmet or not, between the e-scooter and a motor car, I know that the e-scooter is not going to come off best when those two collide.”

Queensland Ambulance Service Wide Bay senior operations supervisor Martin Kelly said he had witnessed the impact of serious head injuries following crashes and similar accidents.

“These are lifelong consequences over a couple of minutes … accidents where people wear or don’t wear safety gear, and the safety gear has meant the difference between there being a head injury and not being a head injury,” he said.

“It’s not about being cool, it’s about being safe.”

If you have information for police, contact Policelink via www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting quoting this reference number: QP2400579816