Reform critical after Qld e-mobility injuries almost double

Queensland has an opportunity to reverse the road carnage and become a world leader in e-mobility safety if the imminent Parliamentary Inquiry report tackles five key reform areas.

RACQ and its partners say enforcement, retail, education, infrastructure and hire schemes are the areas which the Government can address to protect Queenslanders as new data revealed a surge in hospitalisations.

Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit (QISU) research showed 2,000 people presented to Emergency Departments (EDs) across Queensland in 2025 with e‑mobility‑related injuries. This represents a 23% increase on 2024 (1,626) and a 45% increase on 2023 (1,380).*

The data is collected from around 36 hospitals and only accounts for an estimated 25-30% of all emergency department presentations, meaning the number of e-mobility-related injuries across Queensland is likely much higher.

RACQ Head of Public Policy, Dr Michael Kane, said the figures highlight a rapidly worsening situation.

“Queensland’s e-mobility crisis has reached tipping point, the upcoming report provides a clear-cut opportunity to change course,” Dr Kane said.

“We welcome the Queensland Premier’s commitment to provide the strongest response in the nation, especially considering the rate of hospitalisations in Queensland.

“At least 2,000 Queenslanders were admitted to hospital in 2025 due to e-mobility injuries, but as emphasised during the inquiry last year, these figures represent real individuals whose lives have been upended.”

One written submission described a Queenslander being struck by an e‑scooter travelling around 50km/h while riding home from work, causing serious spinal injuries and ongoing rehabilitation.

Another submission detailed a similar collision in which a cyclist was hit by an e‑scooter, resulting in an eight‑week hospital stay and months of recovery, leaving them unable to walk independently.

RACQ, together with Bicycle Queensland and Queensland Walks, are calling on the Parliamentary Committee to ensure its forthcoming report delivers strong and immediate measures to protect the community against further harm.

“A full suite of reforms is required to reverse this trend,” Dr Kane said.

“These should include a major crackdown on illegal high‑powered devices, cleaning up the retail market to stop unsafe products from being sold, and a comprehensive overhaul of hire schemes to improve safety and reduce footpath clutter.

“We’re also calling for better data transparency, statewide education campaigns, and major investment in safer footpaths, shared paths and separated bike lanes.

“Without these reforms, Queensland will continue to see preventable tragedies.”

Key reforms required:

1. Stronger enforcement needed to stop illegal e-devices and illegal behaviour to protect Queenslanders

• Tougher enforcement against illegal high-powered e-motorbikes and unsafe riding, including impounding illegal devices, clearly defining legal e-bikes and e-scooters, requiring full-face helmets for stand-up scooters, giving QPS staff and authorised transport officers powers to enforce rules to boost resources and enable community hotspot reporting.

1. Stop dangerous devices at the source: crack down on rogue e-mobility retailers

• The Government must restrict e-moped and e-motorbike sales to licensed dealers, empower the Office of Fair Trading to target irresponsible sellers, and push the Commonwealth to tighten import laws so only compliant and standards-approved devices enter Australia.

1. Strengthen data and education to drive safer e-mobility use

• The committee must recommend better statewide reporting of crashes and hospital admissions across all hospitals, supported by a transparent public facing data dashboard and proactive education program.

1. Invest in safer footpaths to protect Queenslanders

• Ongoing investment into higher-quality footpaths and separate lanes to reduce collisions between pedestrians, cyclists and e-mobility devices is vital.

1. Revamp hire schemes to improve safety and reduce clutter

• Reset e-scooter hire schemes to include dedicated parking funded by operator revenue, a transition to safer sit-down shared scooters, tech-based AI enforcement, and greater transparency to ensure operators meet community safety and compliance expectations.