Call for witnesses after e-scooter rider suffers life-threatening injuries

Police are calling for witnesses after an e-scooter rider suffered life-threatening injuries in unclear circumstances earlier in the week.

The 45-year-old Mitchelton woman was treated by emergency services on South Pine Road, near Pickering Street in Alderley, about 6.20pm on Wednesday.

She was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, where she remained in a serious condition on Saturday.

The RBWH treated 480 e-scooter riders last financial year.Credit: Dan Peled

Police are appealing for anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage from the area to come forward.

It comes after Brisbane Times published exclusive new data revealing the extent of e-scooter injuries across the city.

About 1326 people were admitted to hospital with e-scooter injuries last financial year across Queensland, with 480 of them treated at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.

About half of all casualties suffered head and facial injuries, with hands and shoulders also frequently affected.

A poll of 738 Brisbane Times readers found 72 per cent wanted the city to ban e-scooters, with 22 per cent opposed to the idea, and 6 per cent undecided.

“Our emergency departments are full of people who have been injured on e-scooters,” Queensland Attorney-General and former health minister Yvette D’Ath said last month.

“I’ve driven around these busy cities and turned a corner to find a scooter lying on the road and someone on the footpath.

“We need people to take responsibility when they’re using these e-scooters to keep themselves safe, to wear the helmets, to watch the speeds, and to watch people on the footpaths, because they are doing harm – serious harm.

“We’ve seen kids losing their lives on e-scooters.”

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