The RBWH Foundation and RACQ have welcomed the State Government’s announcement of a parliamentary inquiry into e-mobility safety, anticipating their co-funded research would play a significant role in inquiry evidence.
A three-year research partnership between RACQ and the Foundation, conducted by the Jamieson Trauma Institute (JTI), showed reform was needed to address the seriousness of life-changing injuries and deaths as a result of e-scooter crashes.
In 2024, there were 1,504 presentations to participating Emergency Departments in Queensland* as a result of an e-scooter crash, an increase of 231 from 2023.
On top of the almost 30 Queenslanders per week being seriously injured last year, eight people were killed while riding Personal Mobility Devices in Queensland.
Pictured above: RACQ General Manager of Advocacy Joshua Cooney
Pictured above (L-R): RACQ CEO David Carter, RBWH Foundation CEO Simone Garske and JTI Director Professor Michael Schuetz
RBWH Foundation CEO Simone Garske said research and reform were the key to ensuring better health outcomes for Queenslanders.
“We applaud RACQ for partnering with us and encourage other aligned organisations to join with us in advancing patient care innovation and life-saving medical research,” said Ms Garske.
“Herston Health Precinct is home to some of Australia’s brightest medical and research minds, but it is a constant battle to secure funding to ensure crucial projects, such as this, are able to be pursued.”
JTI patient surveys further found more than one-third of private e-scooter riders interviewed after presenting to emergency departments admitted to speeding and 58% were triaged at the second highest urgency for emergency treatment.
RACQ has been advocating for full-faced helmets to be mandatory for people using private stand-up e-scooters and for hired scooters to transition to more stable sit-down scooters that have a lower centre of gravity.
RACQ General Manager of Advocacy Joshua Cooney urged the Government to consider the results of the JTI research as part of the inquiry.
“We are looking forward to making a detailed submission to the inquiry and working with the Government to make all personal mobility devices safer,” he said.
In 2022, RACQ and the RBWH Foundation donated $200,000 to JTI to fund research into e- scooter injuries.
*The Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit (QISU) captures data from e-scooter related presentations in 30 participating emergency departments across Queensland, not all hospitals in Queensland provide data to QISU.
