As sales surge before Christmas, states are debating how to regulate the sale and specifications of e-bikes and scooters after a series of fatal incidents.
Two people have been killed in separate e-mobility accidents this week, as multiple states grapple with whether – and how – to regulate the devices.
Mum Jacinda Barzan died after an e-scooter accident at Aroona on Sunday, leaving behind kids aged 11 and seven.
The 33-year-old was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries but died in hospital on Monday. No other vehicles or other devices were involved.
A fundraising campaign has now been set up by a lifelong friend to support Ms Barzan’s family.
“Jacinda wasn’t just a friend; she was the kind of person who brought people together without even trying,” the campaign says.
“She accepted you exactly as you were, made you feel safe to be yourself, and loved her two children with a fierce, unshakeable devotion.”
Ryley Ziebell, 14, died on Monday night when his e-bike and a 4WD collided at Diamond Creek, in Melbourne’s northeast.
He was treated at the scene but could not be saved.
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“Ryley was a beautiful-natured boy who was incredibly loved and will be sadly missed,” his parents said in a statement.
The vehicle’s driver, a 22-year-old from Eltham North, is assisting police as officers investigate the accident.
On December 2, another e-bike rider was killed in a collision with a garbage truck in the inner-Sydney suburb of Ultimo. He was not wearing a helmet.
On the Sunshine Coast, a 15-year-old boy was charged over an e-bike crash that killed an eight-year-old boy in October.
Both Queensland and NSW are considering ways of regulating such devices after a spate of fatalities.
NSW Premier Chris Minns told 2GB on Tuesday morning that his government was considering measures to halve the maximum power of e-bikes, from 500 watts to 250 watts.
The state Opposition has promised a registration system for children, food delivery riders and share-bike users if elected in 2027.
The Queensland Government, which is holding a parliamentary inquiry into e-mobility safety, is also considering registration.
On Tuesday the Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) criticised the state government’s decision to reject a coroner’s recommendation for e-bike registration.
In July, Coroner Audrey Jamieson recommended the government consider ways to identify non-compliant e-bikes, including a registration scheme, following her investigation into the death of Nitin Haldipur Prabhu.
However, in formal responses to the Coroners Court, both Victoria Police and the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) rejected registration as an option.
In her response, DTP acting executive director Fiona Green said registration was not being considered because it “would be costly and may be a major disincentive to riding”.
VACC CEO Peter Jones on Tuesday said the decision showed a concerning reluctance to act on a coroner’s safety recommendation.
“Victoria has always led the nation on road safety initiatives. We shouldn’t be waiting for other states when we have a clear recommendation from a coroner,” he said.
The chamber’s research partnership with Monash University recently documented the scope of non-compliant e-bike use in central Melbourne.
Most of the 27,000 e-bikes observed did not use pedals, indicating they were throttle-powered or illegally modified, according to the research.
It urged authorities to look at the legal definition of e-bikes, enforce existing road rules for non-compliant devices, and close import loopholes.
WeRide, a group representing bicycle and e-bike companies, said leadership from the federal government was needed to ensure e-bikes entering Australia met local standards.
