Cairns Highway Patrol Unit and Dr Amanda McConnell from the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service are pleading with e-device riders to exercise caution as part of Operation Yankee Surety.
Running from 1 July 2026 to 31 June 2027, Operation Yankee Surety operationalises new legislative changes to e-mobility devices, with a focus on deterring unsafe behaviours on electrically power assisted cycles (EPACs), e-scooters and other personal mobility devices (PMDs) and removing illegal devices from Queensland roads.
The growing popularity of e-mobility devices has made them an increasingly common mode of transport but has also led to a concerning rise in dangerous riding behaviours such as speeding, impaired riding, riding without a helmet, and the use of illegal devices.
Cairns Hospital Emergency Department (ED) physician Dr Amanda McConnell has been doing research into e-scooter injuries, finding that the number of people being treated in the ED has risen significantly from 133 per year to 190 per year since hire scooters were introduced to Cairns in 2022.
“We just want people to be healthy, so it’s quite upsetting to see young people come in with injuries that in our impression could be prevented with reduction of speed, wearing a helmet, following the rules,” Dr McConnell said.
“I’ve certainly seen a good proportion of people who combine things like speed with drugs and alcohol, and maybe two people using a device, the more risk factors you have clearly the more likely people are to come to harm.
“You’ve got your life, you go to school, you’ve got friends and sport, and one poor decision or one accident or one distraction can lead to that pathway being derailed and your focus becomes that of being able to walk again or being able to remember what you had for breakfast again, so it’s a big deal.”
Sergeant Greg Rose from Cairns Highway Patrol said police will be enforcing the road rules and educating riders about the new changes.
“We are continuing to see increasing use of e-mobility devices in Cairns, particularly by young people”, Acting Sergeant Greg Rose said.
“We want riders to understand that these rules exist to prevent serious injury or death, which we know dangerous behaviour and non-compliant devices can sadly cause.
“Protect yourself and others by riding legally, wearing a helmet, knowing the rules and making smart decisions.”
Police remind all e-mobility users, including younger riders and their parents or guardians, to be aware of the rules and ride safely.
All bicycle, EPAC and PMD riders must wear a securely fastened helmet, stay aware of their surroundings and ride to the conditions.
Drink riding is illegal, and a 0.05 breath alcohol content (BAC) limit is enforced through roadside breath testing.
All devices must obey the maximum permitted speed of 25km/h on permitted Queensland roads, and 12km/h on shared paths and when passing pedestrians.
To be a compliant EPAC, a device must not exceed 6km/h under motor power alone and must provide assistance to a maximum of 25km/h. Speeds faster than 25km/h must be under human pedal power only.
Riders of PMD devices must be 16 years or older to ride unsupervised, and can only be used on shared pathways, bike paths, or suburban roads without line markings where the speed limit is 50km/h or less.
For more information about e-mobility laws and safety, visit https://streetsmarts.initiatives.qld.gov.au/e-bikes-e-scooters/.
The Queensland Police Service is committed to reducing the number of lives lost on our roads. However, enforcement alone cannot stop all dangerous driving behaviours.
Every choice you make behind the wheel, matters. Driving under the influence, speeding, driving distracted or while fatigued, or not wearing a seatbelt puts your life – and the lives of others – at serious risk. These dangerous behaviours will not be tolerated.
Queenslanders can expect police – anywhere, anytime.
Road safety starts with you.
