Two teenagers have been seriously injured in a crash between an e-scooter and a vehicle on the Sunshine Coast.
Police say they believe a 13-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl were riding on the scooter about 5pm yesterday when it collided with a car at the intersection of George and Mayfield streets in Alexandra Headland.
"The two teenagers were just flung into the air by this vehicle," Queensland Ambulance Service senior operations supervisor Dianne Rigby said.
The driver of the vehicle and bystanders rendered assistance before paramedics arrived.
Both teenagers sustained critical injuries.
Ms Rigby said the boy was airlifted by LifeFlight crews to the Queensland Children's Hospital (QCH) in Brisbane with multiple leg injuries and significant head injuries in an "absolutely critical condition".
The girl was taken to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital in a critical condition before also being airlifted to the QCH with head, hip and back injuries.
"The outcome is absolutely terrible, life changing potentially," Ms Rigby said.
"It was very traumatic for those who witnessed it as well."
Ms Rigby said a helmet was found at the scene.
"I'm not 100 per cent sure of the details, because we weren't there at the time of the incident … but when we arrived there was a helmet there," she said.
"I don't know whether it was on or whether it was being worn properly, and I don't believe both were wearing helmets."
A QCH spokesperson said both patients were in a stable condition today.
Police are appealing for witnesses and people with dashcam vision of the crash to come forward.
The 34-year-old driver of the vehicle was uninjured in the collision.
Ms Rigby added e-scooter incidents were not uncommon on the Sunshine Coast.
"We get a lot of very serious incidents as a result of these e-scooters, either to the riders or to pedestrians," she said.
A Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service spokeswoman said Emergency Departments across the district were seeing an increase in the number of e-scooter injuries, as the devices become more popular.
"Staff treat a range of injuries, from minor scrapes and abrasions through to life-threatening injuries," the spokeswoman said.
"Doctors encourage riders to learn about the capability of e-scooters and not perceive them as the same risk as non-motorised scooters. Always wear a helmet and safety gear, and adhere to the relevant road rules."
Law changes to address safety concerns
State e-scooter laws introduced in November include a speed limit of 12 kilometres per hour on footpaths and increased fines for those caught speeding, using the road illegally and holding a mobile phone while riding.
Users can also be fined for not wearing a helmet and double riding.
Riders can still ride at 25kph on local streets, but not on those with a speed limit over 50kph.
E-scooters gain momentum
Oggy E-Scooters director Kate Ogg has been operating her business in the Sunshine Coast for two years and has seen the motorised scooter craze take off, particularly on school holidays.
Now, hundreds of e-scooters can be found around the coastal pathways of the popular tourist destination.
Ms Ogg said e-scooter safety was about education and avoiding common unsafe behaviours like dangerous riding, using a scooter without shoes or while unsupervised under the age of 16.
"We have to share the road and we have to share the paths with vehicles, scooters, bikes, mobility scooters, people in wheelchairs and pedestrians … people [have] to really think about their fellow humans and make space for each other.
"[Riders] need to be trained … it's the same way you wouldn't let a learner driver out without showing them what they should and shouldn't do.
"And [e-scooters] are zippy, like they take off from zero to 25 in the blink of an eye. You have to be mature enough to understand and have some spatial awareness around vehicles and pedestrians."
Ms Ogg said a lot of drivers resent having to share the road.
"I have firsthand seen them intentionally come close to or hit scooters or cyclists … so there's a lot of aggression out there as well."
