Doctors' blunt warning on e- scooters
Doctors across the country are growing increasingly alarmed about the scale of carnage from electric scooter crashes, with one trauma specialist saying his team now confronts 'terrible injuries' daily.
Professor Dieter Weber, head of trauma services at Royal Perth Hospital, told the ABC's Stateline program this week that his doctors confronted 'broken bones, significant internal organ injuries, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries', often leaving patients with 'lasting lifelong effects'.
'The facilities here at the state trauma centre allow us to give our patients the best possible care, but sadly … the pathway to try to get back to as normal a life is not always possible with these terrible injuries that we're seeing,' he said.
'We're seeing the whole range of injuries from broken bones, significant internal organ injuries, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries...it's this enormous group of patients that we've had to treat from injuries that are preventable.'
His warning comes as Perth residents grapple with the shock death of Thanh Phan, 51, following an e-scooter crash in the CBD.
Police allege British tourist Alicia Kemp was riding an e-scooter while intoxicated when she struck Mr Phan. Professor Dieter Weber treats e-scooter injuries as the head of trauma services at Royal Perth Hospital. Supplied Credit: Supplied Electric scooters are an increasingly popular method of travel. NewsWire / Ian Currie Credit: News Corp Australia
She has been charged with dangerous driving causing death.
Mr Phan was critically injured in the crash and died in hospital on Tuesday.
Mr Phan's family have remembered him as a 'beloved husband, father of two, brother and dear friend'.
'We ask that the media respect the privacy of Thanh's family as they grieve their loss,' the family statement said.
'We also call for a review of the governance and safety regulations surrounding hired e-scooters to help prevent further serious incidents that put lives at risk.'
The City of Perth has now suspended the use of hired e-scooters.
The ban follows a vote from the City of Melbourne to outlaw hired e-scooters, though private scooters are still allowed across Victoria.
Professor Weber's remarks also come as a new report from doctors and researchers in Queensland highlight a 'significant risk' to children from e-scooters.
The report, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health this week, analysed 176 child e-scooter injury cases that presented to Sunshine Coast University Hospital between January 2023 and December 2024.
The research found 71 per cent of cases were male, falls accounted for 78 per cent of crashes, while 13 per cent involved motor vehicles. Thanh Phan died after he was struck by an e-scooter in the Perth CBD. ABC Credit: ABC
Helmet noncompliance was documented in 42 per cent of the presentations, 12 per cent involved doubling, and 36 per cent exceeded the 25km/h speed limit.
Further, fractures occurred in 37 per cent of cases, 18 per cent required computerised tomography scans and 11 per cent sustained life-threatening or potentially life-threatening injuries.
The researchers warn e-scooter-related injuries among children are 'on the rise' and want to see Queensland's minimum age limit raised to 16 for all riders.
'While e-scooters do offer some transportation advantages, their use among children and adolescents raises significant safety concerns that cannot be ignored,' the report concludes.
'This study sheds light on the prevalence and severity of e-scooter-related injuries in this population in Queensland and underscores the importance of targeted interventions to mitigate these risks.
'We believe policymakers should urgently revisit the age limits in Queensland to ensure the safety of the state's youth until improved safety measures such as better speed-restricted e-scooters and driving proficiency tests have been implemented and demonstrated a significant risk reduction.' Research analysed e-scooter crash presentations at Sunshine Coast University Hospital. NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar Credit: NewsWire
Queensland permits children aged between 12 and 15 to ride scooters if they are accompanied by an adult.
Despite the rise in injuries, the researchers also warn there is no dedicated data collection system in place for e-scooter trauma.
'There are no pediatric-specific data on e-scooter trauma in Queensland, leaving policy change bereft of meaningful evidence to refine and strengthen current regulations,' the report states.
Australia has a hodgepodge system of e-scooter regulations.
In May, the NSW government announced a new 'framework' for e-scooter laws in the state.
The new regulations would allow e-scooters to go on shared paths, with a default speed limit of 10-20km/h, and a 20km/h speed limit on roads that are signposted at 50km/h and below.
E-scooters would be legal for independent riders over 16 years of age.
'These devices are creating an evolution in how people move around, and that's a good thing, but we need to get the balance right,' NSW Transport Minister John Graham said last month.
'There's still a lot of work to do, but this provides a clear path forward when it comes to properly integrating and regulating this relatively new form of transport.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
20 hours ago
- Perth Now
Big problem with popular plant sold at Bunnings
A popular garden plant sold at Bunnings is even more invasive and potentially dangerous to Australia's natural environment than originally thought, new research has revealed. La Trobe scientists, writing in the Frontiers journal, warn that gazania daisies, a brightly coloured ornamental plant sold in nurseries nationwide, is a 'highly-invasive plant' that is beginning to impact grain production and grasslands across southern Australia. The plant can germinate and thrive in almost all conditions, the report shows, regardless of moisture, temperature or salinity levels. 'Due to its flexible growth requirements, gazania is now widespread and naturalised in a variety of habitats including coastal sand dunes, stream banks, wastelands, open grasslands, along roadsides and on cultivated and irrigated sites,' the report states. 'While gazania has long been considered as an environmental weed in Australia, a trend of 'jumping the fence' has been observed in recent years, infesting grain crop production fields in low-rainfall regions of South Australia. The invasive gazania is a brightly coloured daisy. Supplied Credit: News Corp Australia 'The presence of gazania in cropping fields is proving highly problematic, with farmers finding it difficult to control with common herbicides.' The researchers warn the weed is now 'rapidly spreading' across Australia and urgent long-term management strategies are needed to control the invasion. Gazania is native to South Africa and was introduced into Australia in the 1950s and 1970s. Invasive Species Council advocacy manager Imogen Ebsworth said the daisies should be banned from sale immediately. 'Gazanias are the perfect example of an escaped invasive garden plant that needs to be banned from sale,' she said. 'They are already banned in South Australia, but it's clear we need them pulled nationally. The invasive weed has escaped into the wild and is 'rapidly spreading' across Australia. Supplied Credit: News Corp Australia 'I urge the nursery industry to act on this new evidence and stop selling it … we've seen this story unfold far too many times. Ornamental plants that turn into unstoppable weeds, costing us billions in control efforts and wiping out native species in the process.' The council estimates more than 30,000 plant species have been imported into Australia for gardening, but 'fewer than a quarter' have been assessed nationally for their weed risk. Weeds cost the country more than $5bn a year in agricultural and environmental damage, the council said, with 'escaped' ornamental plants making up more than 70 per cent of the country's environmental weeds. Garden plants can escape and germinate in the wild via garden waste, lawn clippings and seed dispersal. Bunnings continues to sell gazanias, NewsWire has confirmed. According to the retail giant, each state and territory has its own list of declared weeds and laws and regulations for invasive weeds. Bunnings nurseries sell gazanias, along with other nurseries across the country. NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw Credit: News Corp Australia The plants Bunnings sells across its stores differ depending on where they are sold and their declaration status. 'Like many nurseries and retailers, we sell a wide range of locally sourced plants across our stores and we work hard to create an assortment that caters to customer preferences and demand,' Bunnings director of merchandise Cam Rist said. 'As always, we closely follow all relevant local biosecurity regulations and the advice of regulators about the plants we sell.' The plant is also sold at other nurseries, including online marketplaces. The council argues 'self-regulation' has not worked and wants a federal government response. 'We've spent decades relying mainly on self-regulation, which just doesn't work,' Ms Ebsworth said. 'You can still legally buy plants that are banned in neighbouring states or overseas. 'Unless governments act, we'll keep selling the next lantana, the next gazania, straight into our backyards and bushland.' Environment Minister Murray Watt has been contacted for comment.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- News.com.au
Australian doctors raise alarm over electric scooter crash carnage
Doctors across the country are growing increasingly alarmed about the scale of carnage from electric scooter crashes, with one trauma specialist saying his team now confronts 'terrible injuries' daily. Professor Dieter Weber, head of trauma services at Royal Perth Hospital, told the ABC's Stateline program this week that his doctors confronted 'broken bones, significant internal organ injuries, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries', often leaving patients with 'lasting lifelong effects'. 'The facilities here at the state trauma centre allow us to give our patients the best possible care, but sadly … the pathway to try to get back to as normal a life is not always possible with these terrible injuries that we're seeing,' he said. 'We're seeing the whole range of injuries from broken bones, significant internal organ injuries, brain injuries, spinal cord this enormous group of patients that we've had to treat from injuries that are preventable.' His warning comes as Perth residents grapple with the shock death of Thanh Phan, 51, following an e-scooter crash in the CBD. Police allege British tourist Alicia Kemp was riding an e-scooter while intoxicated when she struck Mr Phan. She has been charged with dangerous driving causing death. Mr Phan was critically injured in the crash and died in hospital on Tuesday. Mr Phan's family have remembered him as a 'beloved husband, father of two, brother and dear friend'. 'We ask that the media respect the privacy of Thanh's family as they grieve their loss,' the family statement said. 'We also call for a review of the governance and safety regulations surrounding hired e-scooters to help prevent further serious incidents that put lives at risk.' The City of Perth has now suspended the use of hired e-scooters. The ban follows a vote from the City of Melbourne to outlaw hired e-scooters, though private scooters are still allowed across Victoria. Professor Weber's remarks also come as a new report from doctors and researchers in Queensland highlight a 'significant risk' to children from e-scooters. The report, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health this week, analysed 176 child e-scooter injury cases that presented to Sunshine Coast University Hospital between January 2023 and December 2024. The research found 71 per cent of cases were male, falls accounted for 78 per cent of crashes, while 13 per cent involved motor vehicles. Helmet noncompliance was documented in 42 per cent of the presentations, 12 per cent involved doubling, and 36 per cent exceeded the 25km/h speed limit. Further, fractures occurred in 37 per cent of cases, 18 per cent required computerised tomography scans and 11 per cent sustained life-threatening or potentially life-threatening injuries. The researchers warn e-scooter-related injuries among children are 'on the rise' and want to see Queensland's minimum age limit raised to 16 for all riders. 'While e-scooters do offer some transportation advantages, their use among children and adolescents raises significant safety concerns that cannot be ignored,' the report concludes. 'This study sheds light on the prevalence and severity of e-scooter-related injuries in this population in Queensland and underscores the importance of targeted interventions to mitigate these risks. 'We believe policymakers should urgently revisit the age limits in Queensland to ensure the safety of the state's youth until improved safety measures such as better speed-restricted e-scooters and driving proficiency tests have been implemented and demonstrated a significant risk reduction.' Queensland permits children aged between 12 and 15 to ride scooters if they are accompanied by an adult. Despite the rise in injuries, the researchers also warn there is no dedicated data collection system in place for e-scooter trauma. 'There are no pediatric-specific data on e-scooter trauma in Queensland, leaving policy change bereft of meaningful evidence to refine and strengthen current regulations,' the report states. Australia has a hodgepodge system of e-scooter regulations. In May, the NSW government announced a new 'framework' for e-scooter laws in the state. The new regulations would allow e-scooters to go on shared paths, with a default speed limit of 10-20km/h, and a 20km/h speed limit on roads that are signposted at 50km/h and below. E-scooters would be legal for independent riders over 16 years of age. 'These devices are creating an evolution in how people move around, and that's a good thing, but we need to get the balance right,' NSW Transport Minister John Graham said last month. 'There's still a lot of work to do, but this provides a clear path forward when it comes to properly integrating and regulating this relatively new form of transport.'
West Australian
2 days ago
- West Australian
Australian doctors raise alarm over electric scooter crash carnage
Doctors across the country are growing increasingly alarmed about the scale of carnage from electric scooter crashes, with one trauma specialist saying his team now confronts 'terrible injuries' daily. Professor Dieter Weber, head of trauma services at Royal Perth Hospital, told the ABC's Stateline program this week that his doctors confronted 'broken bones, significant internal organ injuries, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries', often leaving patients with 'lasting lifelong effects'. 'The facilities here at the state trauma centre allow us to give our patients the best possible care, but sadly … the pathway to try to get back to as normal a life is not always possible with these terrible injuries that we're seeing,' he said. 'We're seeing the whole range of injuries from broken bones, significant internal organ injuries, brain injuries, spinal cord this enormous group of patients that we've had to treat from injuries that are preventable.' His warning comes as Perth residents grapple with the shock death of Thanh Phan, 51, following an e-scooter crash in the CBD. Police allege British tourist Alicia Kemp was riding an e-scooter while intoxicated when she struck Mr Phan. She has been charged with dangerous driving causing death. Mr Phan was critically injured in the crash and died in hospital on Tuesday. Mr Phan's family have remembered him as a 'beloved husband, father of two, brother and dear friend'. 'We ask that the media respect the privacy of Thanh's family as they grieve their loss,' the family statement said. 'We also call for a review of the governance and safety regulations surrounding hired e-scooters to help prevent further serious incidents that put lives at risk.' The City of Perth has now suspended the use of hired e-scooters. The ban follows a vote from the City of Melbourne to outlaw hired e-scooters, though private scooters are still allowed across Victoria. Professor Weber's remarks also come as a new report from doctors and researchers in Queensland highlight a 'significant risk' to children from e-scooters. The report, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health this week, analysed 176 child e-scooter injury cases that presented to Sunshine Coast University Hospital between January 2023 and December 2024. The research found 71 per cent of cases were male, falls accounted for 78 per cent of crashes, while 13 per cent involved motor vehicles. Helmet noncompliance was documented in 42 per cent of the presentations, 12 per cent involved doubling, and 36 per cent exceeded the 25km/h speed limit. Further, fractures occurred in 37 per cent of cases, 18 per cent required computerised tomography scans and 11 per cent sustained life-threatening or potentially life-threatening injuries. The researchers warn e-scooter-related injuries among children are 'on the rise' and want to see Queensland's minimum age limit raised to 16 for all riders. 'While e-scooters do offer some transportation advantages, their use among children and adolescents raises significant safety concerns that cannot be ignored,' the report concludes. 'This study sheds light on the prevalence and severity of e-scooter-related injuries in this population in Queensland and underscores the importance of targeted interventions to mitigate these risks. 'We believe policymakers should urgently revisit the age limits in Queensland to ensure the safety of the state's youth until improved safety measures such as better speed-restricted e-scooters and driving proficiency tests have been implemented and demonstrated a significant risk reduction.' Queensland permits children aged between 12 and 15 to ride scooters if they are accompanied by an adult. Despite the rise in injuries, the researchers also warn there is no dedicated data collection system in place for e-scooter trauma. 'There are no pediatric-specific data on e-scooter trauma in Queensland, leaving policy change bereft of meaningful evidence to refine and strengthen current regulations,' the report states. Australia has a hodgepodge system of e-scooter regulations. In May, the NSW government announced a new 'framework' for e-scooter laws in the state. The new regulations would allow e-scooters to go on shared paths, with a default speed limit of 10-20km/h, and a 20km/h speed limit on roads that are signposted at 50km/h and below. E-scooters would be legal for independent riders over 16 years of age. 'These devices are creating an evolution in how people move around, and that's a good thing, but we need to get the balance right,' NSW Transport Minister John Graham said last month. 'There's still a lot of work to do, but this provides a clear path forward when it comes to properly integrating and regulating this relatively new form of transport.'
