E-bike’s legality under examination after two teens die

Two teenagers have died and a motorcyclist is in hospital after an e-bike and Harley-Davidson motorcycle collided south of Brisbane, in what police have called a “particularly distressing” scene.

A 16-year-old boy was driving the e-bike, with a 15-year-old girl riding as passenger, when they collided head-on with a motorbike as it overtook a vehicle on Middle Road at Greenbank in Logan about 9pm on Thursday.

The teenagers died at the crash site.

Police said their e-bike’s headlights were not believed to be lit at the time of the accident.

The 52-year-old man who was riding the motorcycle was rushed to Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital.

On Friday afternoon he remained in a stable condition in hospital.

Factors including speeding, fatigue, distraction, visibility and wearing proper safety equipment are being considered as part of the investigation, Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said.

“This will also look at the mechanics of both vehicles, so both the e-bike and the Harley-Davidson, to establish whether they were both compliant,” he said.

Wheeler could not confirm or deny whether the riders were wearing helmets.

Police urged any witnesses or anyone who has footage of the incident to come forward, as the Forensic Crash Unit investigates.

The teens are the second and third deaths in e-mobility incidents this year, and the 55th and 56th deaths on Queensland roads this year.

The road toll is 13 higher than this time last year.

“Every life lost is a person, they’re not a number,” Wheeler said. “They’re someone’s family, brother, sister, father, mother, loved ones.”

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said action was being considered, following an inquiry into e-mobility safety and use this month.

“It’s just tragic circumstances, and we’ve seen too many of them on e-bikes in the last year,” he said.

“We will be taking tough action to try and prevent loss of life on e-scooters and e-mobility devices.”

The parliamentary inquiry recommended that the state introduce new restrictions on e‑scooters and e‑bikes – including age and speed limits, licence requirements and police seizure powers.

The inquiry’s report said 6300 people presented to emergency departments with injuries and 12 people died from e-mobility incidents last year in Queensland, but this was not broken down by e-scooters, legal e-bikes or electric motorbikes ridden illegally in public.

WorkCover reported a significant increase in claim costs, primarily driven by e-scooter injuries.

The inquiry recommended that those aged 16 or over be required to hold a learner’s licence, meaning they would have had to complete road rule training before being allowed to ride.

“Younger riders generally have less developed judgment and decision-making capacity, and limited understanding of road rules, and the prevalence of illegal devices further complicates safe use,” the committee wrote.

The committee also recommended a two‑tiered regulatory system, drawing a sharp distinction between compliant low‑speed devices and high‑powered or modified machines.

Devices capable of travelling faster than 25km/h would be reclassified as a motorcycle or moped, requiring registration, compulsory third-party insurance, a licensed rider, and use only on roads.

The committee also recommended footpath speed limits for e-scooters and e-bikes be reduced to 10km/h.

Labor MP Jonty Bush, the deputy chair of the state’s e-mobility inquiry, said pedal-assisted e-bikes should not have been lumped in the same category as high-powered electric motorbikes.

“The report risks reinforcing the idea that all e-bikes are the same and that all e-bikes are dangerous, despite the committee hearing no evidence whatsoever that pedal-assist e-bikes pose any kind of safety risk.”

While Bush supported improving safety and believed most of the recommendations “move us in the right direction”, the MP was worried about the future accessibility of pedal-assisted e-bikes.

“They help to reduce congestion, they help us stay active, and they make active transport a much more viable option for so many more Queenslanders,” she said.

Wheeler said police stand ready to enforce any new rules as soon as the government makes that decision.

“Anything that can be done to improve community safety, absolutely we support it 100 per cent,” he said.

“I’m sure the government is doing everything it can to sensibly and carefully consider what needs to be done and implement the changes that will bring about better care.”

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