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In Queensland's north, Patrick Yeung credits his ability to avoid the school pick-up traffic, spend additional quality time with his son, and save money, all to his e-bike. The 43-year-old rides to his gym, to work and to meet his teenage son after school, journeys he otherwise might have done in the car. In the humidity and heat of a Townsville summer, the e-bike means he can ride further, and for longer than he would have on a manual bike. "Naturally, we jumped onto faster slightly faster bikes and electrified ones." Before purchasing the e-bike, Mr Yeung did his research – something he said was not easy. "I initially bought a bike that was illegal and I didn't know," he said. "There was no education around it." The second bike that he bought came with a compliance certificate and cannot go any quicker than 25 kph. "The consumers have to be educated and also the retailers have to take some responsibility," Mr Yeung said. Now, he knows the rules, and he also has some of his own. His son, Mason, only rides his e-bike "recreationally" when he is being supervised by his dad. Otherwise, he uses the manual option. Calls for a crackdown In the past month, deaths of children in incidents involving electric mobility devices have prompted calls for a swift and urgent government response to illegal devices. Overnight, e-devices were involved in multiple accidents across the state. Seven people were hospitalised, including one woman with potentially life-threatening injuries. The RACQ's head of public policy Michael Kane said the situation had reached a "crisis" point on Queensland's "footpaths, roads and parks". Mr Kane pointed out the organisation did not have a problem with "e-bikes", nor did it have a problem with existing legislation. "[The bikes are] unregistered and can be impounded by police or a transport officer. "We need to be taking steps to implement existing law." The RACQ has urged the state government to "crack down" on illegal e-motorbikes by getting them off the streets. At the same time, Mr Kane asked parents not to buy e-motorbikes – which can retail for thousands of dollars – for their children if they can travel at more than 25 kph. "You're putting their life at risk," he said. In some cases, children as young as eight-years-old have been riding e-motorbikes. Queensland Children's Hospital paediatric surgeon Dr Bhavesh Patel has seen children with "preventable" head injuries and limb fractures from incidents involving e-devices. He said the data showed the average age for injuries from e-scooters and e-devices was about 12. "One in 20 will have a significant brain injury ... a bleed in the head, skull fracture and a long-term injury from that fall," Dr Patel explained. 'Giving us all a bad reputation' Bicycle Queensland CEO Matthew Burke said "fun, safe and legal" e-bikes should be maintained, and owners of illegal bikes were giving other riders a "bad reputation". "It is this importation and retailing of illegal e-motorbikes that is the problem," Mr Burke said. "If we don't [stop] it soon, the problems we're seeing with deaths, with children in Queensland is going to be replicated around Australia." He called on the Commonwealth to step in and step in and tighten laws on the import of the e-motorbikes. The federal government has been contacted for comment. The state government is currently holding an inquiry into e-mobility safety, which is due to report back in March next year. Options on the table Queensland Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Adam Guild said a "whole range of issues" had arisen from the growing popularity of e-mobility devices in the state in recent years. This year police have issued more than 3,700 infringement notices in relation to personal mobility devices, with more than 60 per cent of those for not wearing a helmet. Acting Assistant Commissioner Guild said 700 infringement notices had been issued for riding on prohibited roads and more than 170 infringements for speeding. He said police had launched targeted operations to crack down on their illegal use. "There's been instances where police officers have used a trailer to collect devices and take them back to the station, calling parents to come and collect the devices, and there's been other instances where we've seized the bikes and had them destroyed," he said. "Our intent is to remove the illegal e-motorcycles and those other modified devices from our roads, it's certainly not an easy job. Queensland police have urged parents to be aware of the rules, particularly when it comes to "non-compliant" e-motorbikes which can only be ridden on private property. Police minister Dan Purdie said police already had powers to seize illegal e-motorbikes, but agreed more officers "on the beat" were needed. "Police are targeting that, and they will continue to do it," he said. Mr Purdie said no "knee-jerk" reactions would be taken until the inquiry had gone through the evidence "methodically". "If that is tougher laws, we'll certainly be doing that," he said. Mr Yeung was just hopeful any action taken was fair, and he believed retailers should be required to provide more information to potential customers when selling e-motorbikes. Rules around the country
