Parents across the Hunter region have been issued a critical safety warning by police following Christmas, as children take to the streets on new electric bicycles. Authorities fear that youngsters riding modified or high-powered e-bikes without proper safety gear are just a simple error away from devastating, life-changing injuries.
A Trend of Serious Injuries Emerges
Newcastle Hunter Highway Patrol Chief Inspector Thomas Barnes expressed deep concern for both young riders and pedestrians as the busy school holiday period gets underway. His warnings are backed by alarming data from the region's major hospital.
Between Christmas and New Year's Day last year, the John Hunter Hospital emergency department treated multiple patients who had fallen from e-bikes and e-scooters. The medical staff reported that the injuries sustained were severe, more consistent with motorcycle crashes than typical bicycle accidents.
Chief Inspector Barnes stated this troubling pattern has continued alongside the exploding popularity of e-bikes, which are now a common sight on local roads and footpaths. "What we do know is there's been increased instances of e-bike crashes, presentations to casualty units and serious injuries and deaths involving the users of e-bikes, as well as pedestrians," he said.
Parents Urged to Understand the Real Risks
The police hold particular fears for vulnerable pedestrians, including young children and elderly residents who may no longer feel safe walking to their local shops. However, the primary concern remains the riders themselves, often kids and teenagers seen on expensive, high-powered machines.
"I don't think their parents or carers would necessarily give them a motorcycle and tell them to ride on the road, but yet they're effectively allowing them to do pretty much the same using an e-bike," Chief Inspector Barnes cautioned.
He emphasised that while regulations exist for e-bikes—and police use them—ultimate safety comes down to rider behaviour. Illustrating the point, on his way to a recent media briefing about road safety, he observed two teenage girls sharing a single e-bike, with one not wearing a helmet.
"Those children are one mistake away from sustaining a serious, life-altering brain injury," he warned starkly. "Nobody wants to see their loved one lying in a brain injury unit as they slowly waste away on life support. But this is what happens when heads that are not protected by helmets, impact hard surfaces."
The Call for Parental Vigilance and Compliance
Chief Inspector Barnes has a clear message for parents who gifted an e-bike this Christmas. They must ensure the bike complies with the law, that their child is competent in using it, wears appropriate safety gear including a helmet, and is properly supervised.
He also highlighted a dangerous trend of modification, easily accessible online. "It just takes a few moments on YouTube to find out how to make one of these legal e-bikes, an unauthorised, unregistered motorcycle," he said.
"So the obligation is on the parents to really dig into what your children are doing and know what your children are doing, just to make sure they come home safely at the end of the day."
Police presence will be heightened across the Hunter region throughout the holiday season. Operation Christmas and New Year 2025 is active on the roads, while Operation Shore Safe continues its targeted summer blitz in coastal areas.
Chief Inspector Barnes concluded with a sobering reminder of responsibility: "Riding a motorcycle, an e-bike, or driving a vehicle, is a very difficult task. So you need to understand that you have that responsibility on your hands, to yourself, to your family, and to other road users."
