E-Bike Injuries Double: Over 150 Children Hospitalised in NSW as Doctors Demand Urgent Action
Emergency physicians across New South Wales are raising the alarm after more than 150 children were hospitalised with e-bike injuries last year, a figure that has more than doubled from the previous year. This dramatic increase has prompted fresh scrutiny of these popular electric devices as their popularity continues to soar throughout the state.
Daily Presentations of Serious Injuries in Emergency Departments
Senior emergency physician Dr Stephen Parnis revealed that children are presenting with e-bike and e-scooter related injuries every single day in hospital emergency departments. "We're not talking about trivial injuries," Dr Parnis emphasised. "We're talking about serious injuries, many of which require hospital admission, multiple surgeries, and occasionally they result in fatalities."
Dr Parnis attributed the severity of these injuries directly to the speed and power of modern e-bikes, describing them as "motorbikes in everything but name." He explained that "the power, the speed, and the energy transferred during a crash leads to those sorts of injuries - broken bones, loss of major amounts of skin, and when there are head injuries, that's probably the worst in my experience."
Alarming Helmet Compliance and Safety Concerns
Concerningly, data shows that only about half of the injured riders were wearing a helmet at the time of their incident. "There are many occasions where these injuries could be mitigated by proper safe wear," Dr Parnis explained. However, he warned that even with helmets, the risks remain extremely high due to the substantial power of modern e-bikes.
"The head is something that we often cannot fix," Dr Parnis stated. "But again, my worry is that even with a helmet, the risks are very, very high with the power on these bikes."
Tragic Incidents Spark Renewed Calls for Regulation
The push for action comes following a spate of serious injuries and fatalities across the country. On New Year's Eve, 15-year-old Lucas Reid was killed in Tasmania after his e-bike crashed into a pole in Devonport. Police confirmed that a helmet was found at the scene, though it remains unclear whether it was being worn at the time of the tragic accident.
In New South Wales, recent crashes involving teenagers on e-bikes colliding with cars in Sydney have sparked renewed calls for tighter regulation. Proposed measures include the introduction of number plates for some riders and stricter controls around school zones.
Public Opinion and Growing Safety Concerns
Recent research from insurer AAMI has revealed significant public concern about e-bike safety. More than half of all drivers believe children should not be allowed to ride e-bikes or e-scooters to school, with nearly four in ten respondents saying these devices should be banned from school zones altogether.
With approximately 1.4 million electric bikes and scooters now on NSW streets, the new injury figures reveal a huge increase in serious incidents over the past few years. As the popularity of these devices continues to grow, medical professionals are urging immediate action to address what they describe as a mounting public health concern.
