Queensland Police issue warning to parents gifting e-bikes or e-scooters for Christmas
Police in one state have issued a warning to parents over a popular Christmas present that has had a 300 per cent increase in fatalities over the last year.
Queensland police have issued a warning over the gifting of e-scooters and e-bikes this Christmas, as the number of lives lost on the devices have quadrupled over the last year.
In 2023, two people died in the state on Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs). This number has increased to eight so far in 2024.
Queensland police acting inspector Gareth Bosley warned parents that police are noticing the increase of devastating incidents involving PMDs.
“E-scooters may seem like a great gift to put under the Christmas tree, but they come with significant risks, especially for younger and less experienced users,” Bosley said.
“It’s essential parents and carers consider the legalities of e-scooters, as these cannot be operated by a person under 16 without adult supervision, while those under 12 are not legally allowed to operate them at all”.
Police have witnessed a surge in e-scooter accidents, and recently used drone technology as part of a weekend blitz on illegal use of the vehicles.
More than 1,700 infringements have been issued to date this year for failing to wear a helmet and over 183 infringements for speeding.
Bosley warned that while riding e-bikes and e-scooters, “safety must always come first”.
“If you are gifting a PMD this Christmas, make sure the receiver understands the rules they have to adhere to, otherwise they’ll be seeing police this summer.”
The fines for misuse of a PMD in Queensland are steep, with speeding fines up to $619, failure to wear a helmet or double riding at $154, and $185 for riding on a prohibited road.
The fine for using a phone on an e-bike or e-scooter is a whopping $1,161, with drivers being warned to ride responsibly and follow road rules.
State’s major warning over mozzie risk
Health authorities in one Aussie state have issued a major warning over viruses spread by mosquitos, less than a week after a similar issue across the border.
Horror development in student’s poisoning
A woman has been charged with the attempted murder of an Aussie exchange student after he was allegedly given rat poison while studying in Taiwan.
Major bank hit by outage on Christmas Eve
A major bank has restored services after an outage left customers unable to access their accounts on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.