More children dying from e-scooters in Qld than anywhere in country
Queensland's e-scooter death toll has hit a critical point with five fatalities already this year, as experts warn the state's loose regulations are putting children at risk.
More children are dying in Queensland from e-scooters compared to anywhere else in the country, with the state on track to match the worst ever year of e-mobility fatalities.
And Queensland’s e-scooter death toll makes up almost half of Australia’s total across the past 5.5 years, new data has revealed.
So far this year, five have died – including three aged 18 and under – from e-scooters compared to eight in 2024 including three teenagers.
It comes as the push to regulate high-speed transport options fires up with more experts backing calls by medical practitioners to ban under-16s from riding e-scooters.
Statistics compiled by University of Melbourne Associate Professor Milad Haghani, who did a research report into e-scooters, shows that in the past 5.5 years there have been 37 e-scooter deaths nationally, with 17 of those in Queensland.
He said the pattern in Queensland was concerning.
“If you look over the past 5.5 years, the ratio is seven children out of 17 deaths (41 per cent) – higher than the national average,” he said.
“Queensland children are even more over-represented in e-scooter deaths compared to the rest of the country.”
He said Queensland was the only state that explicitly allowed children to use e-scooters under “supervision” but the wording was vague.
“It doesn’t specify what parental supervision means or how it can be enforced. It’s not a coincidence that the only state permitting children to ride also records more child deaths than all other states combined,” he said.
“But I wouldn’t say that’s the only factor. There’s also a cultural and social dimension.”
He said he had done an analysis of hundreds of TikToks by Australian teenagers.
“Queensland teenagers appear more overrepresented in their enthusiasm for e-devices, particularly the faster or modified ones,” he said.
AMA Queensland president Dr Nick Yim said the latest figured were alarming. “We know e-scooters and e-bikes are increasingly popular, as they represent an affordable, accessible and more sustainable transport option,” he said.
“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.”
Kidsafe Queensland chief executive CEO Susan Teerds said there needed to be firmer regulations against businesses selling e-scooters and guaranteeing that parents were informed at the point of sale.
She said learner drivers needed to log 100 hours and pass a test before being able to drive on roads alone, yet e-scooters that had the speed capability to overtake cars were not bound by the same requirements.
Council on the Ageing Queensland CEO Darren Young said age restrictions were a “blunt tool” that did not guarantee riders’ competency.
Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg said the increase in injuries and death couldn’t be ignored.
“This inquiry is under way, and we welcome input from all Queenslanders, including medical experts,” he said
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