CHRISTMAS CRACKDOWN: Queensland Police Unleash War on Deadly E-Bikes and E-Scooters as 1650 Fines Handed Out in Just Seven Weeks
- Police Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler warns parents of the “emerging challenge” e-bikes and e-scooters pose, with 1300 riders caught without helmets
- -modified devices seized, with parents and kids facing prosecution-
- At least 37 fatalities involving personal motorised devices since 2018, almost 25% involving under-16s
As Christmas approaches, Queensland police are sounding the alarm about the dangers of e-bikes and e-scooters, with a staggering 1650 traffic infringement notices issued in just seven weeks.
“It’s up to parents to get across the rules,” Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said in a stern warning on Sunrise, as police prepare for a festive season surge in e-mobility device sales.
With the holiday period just around the corner, authorities are concerned that increased purchases of the vehicles will lead to more accidents, fines, and potentially even fatalities.
“The gifts that are being bought going into Christmas may not be age-appropriate for some of the children that are getting these gifts,” Wheeler warned, highlighting the risks of e-bikes and scooters being given to kids under 12, or to those aged 12-16 without adult supervision.
Wheeler’s most alarming revelation was that a whopping 1300 of the fines were handed out to riders cruising without helmets, creating a “greater risk for obvious reasons”.
Police are also cracking down on modified devices, which are increasingly being tweaked with conversion kits to boost power beyond legal limits. In such cases, authorities can seize the devices and potentially prosecute both parents and children.
“We will seize those devices in those cases. Parents and children, at times, depending on the circumstances, can be subject to prosecution,” Wheeler said, issuing a stark warning to would-be offenders.
In a heartbreaking development, at least 37 fatalities have involved personal motorised devices since 2018, with almost 25% involving people under 16. “Any life lost is, of course, tragic, but young lives lost is exceptionally tragic,” Wheeler said.
As the festive season fast approaches, police are urging parents to research the rules thoroughly before purchasing e-mobility devices and to provide proper supervision rather than “blanket permission” for their use.