E-bike Crash: Teens Die, Safety Concerns Rise

0:00It's March 12. Here's your Sydney news in two minutes. Two teenagers died in an e-bike crash south of Brisbane on Thursday night. Police believe a Harley Davidson motorcycle hit the e-bike head on after passing another vehicle on Middle Road in Greenbank. The e-bike was riding with our headlights and both the team boy and girl were pronounced dead at the scene. The motorbike rider ended up in serious but stable condition at Princess Alexandra Hospital. Meanwhile, police are digging into what led to the collision and asking anyone with dashcam footage or who saw it to come forward. This tragedy highlights growing safety worries around e-bikes and scooters in Queensland. It comes right as lawmakers consider banning kids under 16 from riding them. A recent parliamentary inquiry pushed for the change after seeing a spike in injuries. Health officials reported more than 6,300 emergency room visits for e-mobility accidents in the year ending March 20, 25, over 200 involved major trauma and more than 60 needed intensive

1:01care, mostly for head and face injuries. Proposed rules with calf speeds at 10 kilometers per hour on footpaths require a learner's license and treat faster devices like motorbikes that need registration and insurance. The transport minister says reforms are essential even if tough to protect riders. A study also found one in three e-scooter deaths since 2020 involved children. Special thanks to our sponsor for supporting this episode. No earbuds, no headbands, no awkward sleeping positions, just a pillow that plays your sound.