Queensland’s Transport and Roads Minister Mark Bailey proposed on Thursday to impose a new policy to facilitate safer electric scooter riding on foot and bike paths, The Guardian reports.
The new proposal suggests fining reckless e-scooter riders a few thousand dollars and increasing their road responsibilities.
Proposal details
As per Minister Bailey’s proposal, the Queensland Government must set a fine of $6192 for e-scooter riders who demonstrate dangerous behavior.
The proposed rules also require e-scooter owners to stay at an accident scene under the similar post-crash responsibilities drivers and cyclists face for both public roads or paths.
“They are equally culpable in the same way that every other road user is and I think most people would expect that that’s fair enough.”
Queensland’s Transport and Roads Minister Mark Bailey
Why is it necessary?
Minister Bailey cited that some e-scooter riders often violate Australia’s current speed limit of 25 km/h.
“When I get my running shoes out on the Bicentennial bike way and I get passed by an e-scooter doing about 50 or 60km/h – if it hit me I’d be dead. So let’s not underestimate the risk to pedestrians of an e-scooter ridden recklessly.”
Queensland’s Transport and Roads Minister Mark Bailey
The proposal aims to discipline both e-scooters and e-bike owners to avoid reckless riding that may seriously affect other motorists.
Queensland’s e-scooter adoption
Drive indicated that Queensland was among the first Australian states to adopt e-scooters. In 2018, it imposed an e-scooter rental trial program allowing for foot and shared path riding at a maximum speed of 12km/h.
It permitted the e-scooter riders to hit a top speed of 25km/h on bike paths and roads with a sign-posted maximum limit of 50km/h.
“It permitted the e-scooter riders to hit a top speed of 25km/h on bike paths and roads with a sign-posted maximum limit of 50km/h.”
Drive
Such an initiative is crucial for the Queensland Government to ensure the safety of e-scooter drivers while using public pathways. However, it can also potentially discourage citizens from adopting the sustainable vehicle alternative due to the large amount of fines under the proposed stricter legislation.
