A fatal accident involving a Perth cyclist occurred in the Central Business District (CBD) on Saturday evening. Thanh Phan, a 51-year-old pedestrian who was killed, the incident raised immediate alarm about e-scooter safety. Phan was hit by a private for-hire e-scooter while on a night out to dinner. This incident has drawn attention from medical professionals and local government officials, who are calling for urgent reforms to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Professor Dieter Weber, the Head of the Trauma Service at Royal Perth Hospital, has already sounded grave warnings regarding the rising tide of e-scooter trauma. His primary concern is with the deaths tied directly to these crashes. He described the injuries he is on the front line of treating as “preventable.” He called on the public to be aware of the dangers posed by e-scooter use, especially drunk driving e-scooter users. Data indicates that approximately 35 percent of e-scooter riders involved in accidents were under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
After Phan’s death, the City of Perth began implementing measures. They, together with the City of Vincent, have formed a coalition to halt e-scooter hiring for the foreseeable future. Mayor Alison Xamon lauded the findings and Neuron and Beam both expressed their willingness to deactivate all hired e-scooters by the end of the day. We will remove the e-scooters in the next 12 to 24 hours.
E-Scooter Injuries and Hospital Consequences
Professor Weber has cared for a wide variety of all e-scooter crash related injuries. These injuries include everything from fractures to life-threatening internal injuries, cranial trauma and spinal cord injuries. The implications of these injuries go beyond immediate health consequences.
“We’re seeing the whole range of injuries from broken bones, significant internal organ injuries, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, injuries that have not just immediate impact but then lasting lifelong effects on patients.” – Professor Dieter Weber
The professor lamented the emotional toll on families who visit hospital wards where their loved ones suffer from preventable injuries.
“The thing that sticks out to me as a surgeon is sadly the number of families that we’ve seen at the bedside in tears with their loved ones tragically injured from these e-scooters.” – Professor Dieter Weber
He made it clear that we need to have a larger, more intelligent discussion regarding e-rideables. For a number of riders, it is unclear just how much they understand the unintended consequences.
“Sadly, I don’t think we’ve fully understood the potential consequences of riding one of these vehicles.” – Professor Dieter Weber
Calls for Stricter Regulations
In the wake of other recent accidents, there have been nationwide outcries to regulate e-scooter use more heavily. Julie Freeman, one of the most vocal advocates for road safety, pointed out the clear inability or unwillingness to follow current regulations in Western Australia. In fact, the Road Safety Commission’s report painted a pretty scary picture of the misuse of e-scooters. It also highlighted how Western Australia’s penalties for violations are far lower than the rest of Australia.
Freeman encourages increased penalties for those who alter e-scooters by increasing their speed. He suggests a more robust enforcement campaign to address e-scooter violations.
“We call on the City of Perth and the minister for transport to take decisive action.” – [No specific person quoted]
WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said there was a clear need for greater compliance around e-scooter rules. She underscored the fact that these measures need to be adopted not just for rider safety but pedestrian safety as well.
“We need to increase our compliance.” – Rita Saffioti
Professor Weber welcomed the City of Perth’s decision to halt e-scooter rentals as a significant step toward fostering an informed discussion about their use in urban settings.
Safety Concerns and Future Measures
As a result, local officials are now taking further steps to get ahead of this trend and make the use of e-scooters safer. Reece Whitby expressed interest in consulting with local governments and operators to implement geo-fencing technology, which would restrict e-scooter use in certain areas or during specific times.
Whitby emphasized, “I want to consult with local government and the operators about geo-fencing these devices so they can’t be used in certain areas, at certain times, at certain speeds.”
Lee Carroll, another advocate for pedestrian safety, raised concerns about allowing motorized vehicles like e-scooters to share footpaths with pedestrians. He emphasized the urgent dangers of this state of affairs. These vehicles may be parked around bars and clubs, places where drunken people could easily be lured to take one.
“E-scooters for hire are motorised vehicles that require no licence to operate and are often stationed outside bars and clubs, inviting use by people who may be intoxicated.” – Lee Carroll
As authorities grapple with the implications of this tragic event, they face mounting pressure to implement effective regulations aimed at preventing future accidents.
