Revealed: The e-scooter rules you need to know as cops crack down

As e-scooter users are presenting to emergency departments in record numbers and with serious injuries, we reveal the rules and regulations all riders should know.

• Busted: Three times limit on bridges

A traffic cop has opened up about having to search for teeth following horrific crashes on e-scooters, as new data shows riders are presenting to emergency departments in record numbers and with serious injuries.

The Courier-Mail can also reveal that on the same night a 60-year-old man died after falling from an e-scooter in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley in June, up to 30 riders were fined for flouting speed, helmet and double-riding rules.

Metro North Hospital and Health Service’s Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit collects data from 20 emergency departments across the state.

Data from January to July this year revealed there had been 716 ED presentations so far this year – the equivalent of 23 people a week – compared to 2022 (1033), 2021 (706), 2020 (386) and 2019 (288).

The popularity of e-scooters has exploded in recent years, resulting in a correlated increase in crashes, with the senior traffic cop warning parents not to treat the devices like toys, as kids flaunt the rules. 

Brisbane City Highway Patrol Acting Sergeant Duncan Hill said riders had been admitted to hospital with several injuries following risky behaviour with PMDs (personal mobility devices).

“(E-scooter riders) hold on for grim death as they are going down – we are lucky if they wear the bare minimum – a helmet,” Sgt Hill said. 

“There’s (parents) out there buying their 11-year-old’s a device that they can jump on and do 60 km/h.

Sgt Duncan Hill on the lookout for speeding e-scooter riders. Picture: John Gass

“You can’t ride a PMD unless you are 12 years old – you have to be under adult supervision – in theory we shouldn’t see anyone under the age of 12 being injured and I know that is just not the case.”

Sgt Hill said he could go to “most schools” about 9am and see children on e-scooters.

He said police were concerned about “casual users”, people who have hired e-scooters, as well as privately purchased e-scooters.

“Strangely enough in terms of the fatal and serious injuries only two have been on those (hired) devices, it is the private devices – (riders) doing 50/60 km/h on the road, mixing with cars,” he said.

Sgt Hill said there was a certain degree of anonymity with e-scooters.

Speaking about a group of naked hoons who were caught riding illegally and dangerously across Brisbane’s Riverside Expressway on e-scooters last month, Sgt Hill said “that took one phone call, one message to get the data”.

“We get a map, we see all the credit card details,” he said.

Asked whether the age limit should be increased Sgt Hill said: “(E-scooters) work well when they are respected.

“You are always going to have a freak accident, you’re riding a device that is doing 25 km/h with six-inch wheels.”

Sgt Hill said riders were now required to follow the same general road rules as bike riders.

“(In 2022) the government pegged the penalties for PMDs to vehicles,” he said.

“If you use your phone on a PMD, the penalty is $1161.

“Speeding could earn you a fine of up to $619. And if you drink and ride, you could be facing a court appearance.”

Jamieson Trauma Institute director and trauma surgeon professor Michael Schuetz said e-scooter presentations at EDs were “consistently high” and the majority of patients were aged between 25 and 35.

There is a host of regulations around the use of e-scooters.

He said about 15 per cent of presentations need to be operated on while 40 per cent had sustained fractures, with ED presentations “skyrocketed” on weekends.

“The majority (of injuries) are upper limb, pelvic and tibia fractures as well as severe head injuries,” he said.

Sgt Hill revealed he was working the night a 60-year-old man died after falling from an e-scooter crash in Fortitude Valley on Friday, June 30.

At the time of the crash, police confirmed the man had been travelling on the scooter at speed along Barry Pde when he fell near the intersection of Alfred and Gipps streets about 3.35am.

“I was working that night specifically targeting PMD offences coming over the Story Bridge after an (AFL) game,” he said.

“We wrote 20 to 30 tickets that night, just targeting helmets, doubling, speed on a footpath.

“I could have taken two steps back from where I was standing and see the intersection that he died on … it is really frustrating when you are that close.

“(Police) have worked with Beam and Neuron to put (e-scooters) in certain locations after games to try and corral (riders) into safer locations and keep them away from the licensed venues.”

But Sgt Hill conceded the road rules could be confusing for riders.

“We don’t have infrastructure that is set up for e-scooters,” he said.

He said e-scooters were locked from midnight to 5am on weekends in Brisbane’s CBD and Fortitude Valley to curb alcohol-fuelled crashes.

“It just removes the casual use of people stumbling out of a hotel drunk and not having that moment to think ‘should I do this’.”

RIDE RULES

● Up to 12km/h on footpaths and shared paths.
● Up to 25km/h on bike paths and roads.
● Can be used on footpaths, shared paths, bike paths or the bike side of a separated footpath.

● Can also be used in bike lanes on roads where the speed limit is 50km/h or less – remember the maximum speed you can ride is still 25km/h.

● Any bike lane physically separated from the road, regardless of speed limit (eg, CityLink cycleway in Brisbane CBD).

● Local streets where the speed limit is 50km/h or less and there is no dividing line or median strip.

● Any road for up to 50m to avoid an obstruction on a path or in a bike lane.

● Across a road via the shortest safe route, but if there is a crossing within 20m, you must use it.

● Always give way to pedestrians, and travel at a safe speed and distance from them.

● Keep to the left wherever possible.

Source: Queensland Government StreetSmarts website