After a rise in reported e-scooter incidents across the region, local operators are calling for a renewed safety push to shift focus back onto the benefits of their use.
So far in 2023 there have been at least seven people hospitalised as a result of e-scooter crashes on the Sunshine Coast.
However, the incidents and various reports of e-scooter users flouting rules has shone a negative light on the personal mobility devices, which are supposed to promote a sustainable means of transport.
Observing a niche opportunity to help bust congestion around Mooloolaba, David and Kate Ogg launched Oggy E-Scooters in January 2021.
In two years, the company has grown from 20 scooters and two hubs to 150 scooters spread across 22 parking hubs from Caloundra to Noosa.
With strict safety compliance measures for all users, including day-use only, Ms Ogg said that after about 24,000 rides, no insurance claims or major accidents had been reported.
Ms Ogg said a minimum age of 21 was required to activate an Oggy E-Scooter account, however, riders 12 years of age and older can be accompanied by an adult.
Scooters are tracked by GPS and Wi-Fi, and can be ridden by individuals weighing up to 100kg and travel at up to 25km per hour.
“The recent safety incidents have served to strengthen our position on our minimum age to have an account, our unwillingness to operate at night-time and our commitment to speaking to every single rider before they venture out,” Ms Ogg said.
“(We) have these all-important conversations about safety and e-scooter riding rules, as they can seem a bit convoluted and daunting.
“We ensure riders are fully cognisant of the rules and behaviours expected, and the consequences if not adhered to.
“Our scooters can only be ridden between 5am and 6.30pm with no new rides able to be started from 6pm.
“We ensure rides cannot end unless the scooter is at a parking hub in order to avoid scooters littering our pathways, and finally we have slow zones and no-go zones that automatically activate all over the Coast.”
Regarding the recent crashes, Ms Ogg said it was the minority of people riding dangerously that were reflecting negatively on e-scooters in general.
She believed all e-scooter users needed to respect the rules, the device and other road users.
“The benefits of using e-scooters, if used in a safe and considerate manner, are that they move people around the Coast in the most sustainable way possible while minimising traffic, pollution and parking problems,” she said.
“Oggy E-Scooters believes that real consideration needs to be made for all path and road users in order for all forms of transportation to operate safely together.
“There are too many riders on privately owned scooters that are hooning around giving responsible riders a bad name, and there are too many unsupervised children riding too.
“Our message to the community is to treat these high-powered vehicles with the respect they command.”
Based off the success locally, Oggy E-Scooters has been approached by the Fraser Coast Council, Toowoomba City Council and the Shire of Carnarvon to offer similar services.
She said the Sunshine Coast and Noosa councils were the only ones in Australia with a local business providing an e-scooter service.
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