A shocking collision between an e-bike rider and a car has been captured on dash cam footage, sparking renewed calls for stricter regulations to protect young riders. The video, first published by Dash Cam Owners Australia, shows a motorist driving down a tree-lined street in New South Wales as a young girl on an e-bike approaches.
The rider takes her eyes off the road to glance at her mobile phone. The driver honks the horn multiple times to warn her of the oncoming traffic. The girl looks up just before the collision and tries to brake, but it is too late, and the e-bike crashes into the car. Her helmet, which was not securely strapped, falls off as she tumbles to the ground.
The driver then warns her that she could have been killed. The incident has reignited debate over e-bike safety, particularly for children. On Weekend Sunrise, journalists Angela Mollard and Luke Bonas discussed the footage, noting a similar incident involving a young boy in Queensland the previous week.
Mollard said, 'There was another little boy in Queensland last week. Again, children are not safe on these. Yes, they have laws around them but they're being modified. We need to stem the problem at the start.' She added, 'I don't think we should ban them outright, but we need to get in control really quickly.'
Bonas echoed concerns, saying, 'I see them all the time in my street. Last week, the same thing always on phones. Kids are not learning that on these things that go, you know, 50km an hour.' He also noted seeing three children on one bike, all on their phones. 'These are not just push bikes, they're very fast bikes and there seems to be no standard.'
Both journalists highlighted that trauma surgeons, politicians, police, and teachers are all calling for more action, possibly including education. The footage has intensified the push for new laws to protect young e-bike riders.
