A Queensland parliamentary inquiry is set to recommend banning children under 16 from riding ebikes and e-scooters, and requiring riders to hold a driver's licence. The recommendations, finalised last week, come amid concerns over rising injuries and fatalities linked to e-mobility devices.
The inquiry, dominated by the Liberal National Party, will propose an age limit of 16, as suggested by the Australian Medical Association's Queensland branch. Riders would also need at least a car learner licence, which costs $77.55 for three years, plus a $28.70 test fee. The rules would apply to all ebikes and e-scooters, with the state already banning models over 250 watts or with motor assistance above 25 km/h.
The move follows pressure from the Queensland opposition, particularly after the death of an eight-year-old boy in an ebike crash on the Sunshine Coast in October. Police launched Operation X-Ray Surety in November to target ebike misuse. The inquiry received 1,223 submissions and held 17 hearings.
The AMAQ cited a June 2025 study showing 176 paediatric e-scooter trauma cases at Sunshine Coast University Hospital over two years. Dr Nick Yim, AMAQ president, noted that half of all e-scooter fatalities in Australia occurred in Queensland. However, Bicycle Queensland's Andrew Demack criticised the licensing proposal as poorly thought through, arguing legal ebikes are helpful and that motor vehicles pose a greater danger.
Queensland's 2025 road toll was 307 deaths, the highest in 16 years, with only eight involving personal mobility devices. The government has three months to respond to the inquiry's final report, expected this week.
