Queensland Police Union demands urgent e-bike crack down after recent deaths
The Queensland Police Union has demanded an urgent crack down on e-bikes across the state after two young people lost their lives in separate crashes in just two days.
Queensland Police officers are fed up and the union is calling for a statewide operation to impound illegal e-bikes and e-motos as those on the frontline contend with a surge in young people riding high powered devices – with fatal results.
Two young Queenslanders have lost their lives in the past week and at least three people have also been injured in e-bike crashes.
Fudou Stovell, 15, was riding in Broadbeach on November 1 when he lost control and crashed into a pole and eight-year-old Zeke Hondow died in an e-bike collision on the Sunshine Coast on October 30.
Queensland Police Union president Shane Prior said officers were becoming increasingly concerned about the behaviour of electric bike and motorcycle users on roads across the state.
“The frustration is intensified for police who want to protect the public but are being impeded by weak senior officers and ineffectual magistrates,” he said.
“Highway Patrol officers regularly tell me they want to impound the bikes of offenders under the Police Powers and Responsibility Act to prevent continuation of the riders’ behaviour but senior officers will not support them.”
Mr Prior urged Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski to launch a “statewide operation backing first response police to impound these bikes”.
“When some of them are worth up to $10,000, I don’t think a lot of families would tolerate that kind of investment sitting in the weather in a police impound yard for long,” he said.
“The government has promised legislative change if required and that will require sound assessment but in-between perhaps the Attorney-General could reinforce to magistrates that they are to reflect community expectations and not disregard police evidence just because the child hoon isn’t old enough for a licence.”
Gold Coast Chief Superintendent Kylie Rigg said there had been a “huge increase” in young people using illegal, high-powered e-bikes.
“They are not insured, they are not registered, these children are not licensed,” she said.
“We are working with the community everyday to try and reduce the number of fatalities on our roadways but to have e-bikes in the mix now is creating an extra layer of complexity, which really puts a lot of pressure on our frontline.
“Police on the Gold Coast are acutely aware of the concerns around these bikes.”
Supt Rigg said rules around e-bike usage were complicated and complex.
An e-bike must be pedal-powered with a maximum continuous motor output of 250 watts and a motor assist that cuts out at 25 km/h to be legally ridden in public places without a license or registration.
She hoped the current parliamentary inquiry would be able to bring some clarity to the legislation.
“The role of police is to operationalise anything that comes of the inquiry,” Supt Rigg said.
“It is a confusing situation for parents but there are websites they can go to make sure the devices they are buying for their children are legal.”
Supt Rigg warned the parents of children who are caught riding illegal e-bikes could also face charges.
Premier David Crisafulli has promised “change is coming” to e-bike legislation but has resisted pressure to fast-track urgent reforms before Christmas.
