Cairns e-scooter crash: Girl, 8, undergoes emergency facial reconstruction after high-speed smash
A Cairns primary school girl has sustained a horrific facial injury when an allegedly defective e-scooter ridden at high speed crashed into her while on a school holiday bike ride.
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A Cairns primary school student has sustained a horrific facial injury when an allegedly defective e-scooter ridden at high speed crashed into her while on a school holiday bike ride.
The life-changing incident for the eight-year-old girl happened in the last week of the school holidays on the shared path that runs parallel to Varley St at Yorkeys Knob.
Enjoying some fun outdoors on July 3, the Year 3 student was cycling back from the Cattana Wetlands under the supervision of her language therapist.
Moments later an out-of-control e-scooter ridden by a teenage boy crashed head-on into the child’s pushbike.
Her dad, Owen Huang, said his daughter underwent emergency medical treatment including a lip, face and gum reconstruction.
He described the physical trauma as “grievous facial and orthopaedic injuries” and while he feared his daughter could be left permanently disfigured, he said emotional scars would take longer to heal.
“She can’t go to school and she told people to not look at her face and she doesn’t want people to ask her about the injury,” he said.
“She doesn’t want to have too much movement of her mouth because the whole reconstruction is not very stable at this time.
Mr Huang, who has served in senior and executive roles with two multinational corporations, raised concerns about the police investigation into the accident and said the scooter rider said at the scene he’d been having brake issues.
“We want justice for my girl. It’s disgusting,” Mr Huang said.
“I am now fully committed to dedicating my time and resources to advocating for the victim’s rights and pursuing justice.
A sharp rise in e-scooter and e-bike injuries across the state prompted the Crisafulli government to launch an inquiry into e-scooter and e-bike safety in May this year.
Between 2021 and 2024 there was a 112 per cent rise in injuries to riders, passengers and pedestrians.
In Queensland, police do have the power to seize non-compliant e-scooters, including those that are illegally modified or being used in a dangerous manner. Officers can also issue penalties for parents who allow minors to ride illegally.
“We need to (crack down on) scooter riders and they cause so much trouble and I have heard they can go 100km/h and they cause so many injuries and so much trouble,” Mr Huang said.
According to initial police information, at about 12.30pm an e-scooter rider and a cyclist collided on a Yorkeys Knob footpath.
Investigations are continuing and anyone with information or relevant vision is urged to contact police.
Originally published as Cairns e-scooter crash: Girl, 8, undergoes emergency facial reconstruction after high-speed smash
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