Teen Dies in Mareeba E-Scooter Crash, 5th Queensland Fatality This Year

The teen died after an e-scooter crash into a parked car. Police urge witnesses or dashcam holders to contact Policelink.

A man walks past a row of electric scooters for hire in Perth, Western Australia, on March 18, 2024. Susan Mortimer/The Epoch Times

A teenage boy has died in Mareeba, Far North Queensland, after his e-scooter collided with a parked vehicle on Strattmann Street late on June 10.

Cairns Forensic Crash Unit officers say the incident occurred between 10:30 p.m. and 10:50 p.m.

Emergency services arrived and performed CPR, but the boy was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are appealing for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to contact Policelink.

A report will be prepared for the coroner. It marks Queensland’s fifth fatal e-scooter crash so far this year.

Under state law, children aged 12 to 16 are only allowed to ride e-scooters under adult supervision.

Spike in Accidents Sparks Safety Concerns

The Mareeba fatality comes just days after Perth suspended all e-scooter hire services following the death of a 51-year-old man hit by a rented scooter on May 31.

The man had been dining in the city when he was struck at the intersection of Murray and King Streets. It is Western Australia’s first recorded pedestrian fatality involving a hired e-scooter.

The device was allegedly being ridden by a 25-year-old UK tourist who was under the influence of alcohol.

E-scooters have become common in Australia’s major cities, prompting growing scrutiny over their safety.

A 2024 Royal Melbourne Hospital study recorded 256 injuries linked to e-scooters in the 12 months to January 2023, with hospitalisation costs nearing $2 million. Nine of the cases involved pedestrians.

Trends in Youth Injuries and Hospital Visits

In Queensland, emergency room visits related to e-scooter accidents surged from 279 in 2019 to 877 in 2022. By September 2023, the number had already reached 801.

A recent study published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health examined data from Sunshine Coast University Hospital and found 176 child e-scooter injuries were recorded between January 2023 and December 2024.

The median age was 14, and 71 percent of patients were boys. Most injuries (78 percent) were from falls; 13 percent involved cars.

Of most concern, 42 percent of the children were not wearing helmets, while 12 percent carried a second rider and 36 percent were travelling over 25km/h—more than double the recommended footpath speed.

Meanwhile, New South Wales has introduced new restrictions, including speed limits and a minimum rider age of 16, as safety concerns grow nationwide.