Police have conducted an operation in Brisbane overnight targeting unsafe use of Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) in the Brisbane City and Fortitude Valley areas.
Last week, 84 people were issued traffic infringements and a 38-year-old man charged with eight offences following a 12-hour operation focusing on people using electric scooters, such as electric scooters in an unsafe manner.
Between 4pm Thursday January 17 and 4am January 18, Brisbane City Highway Patrol officers targeted dangerous behaviours on PMDs that put the safety of riders and the community at risk.
Of the 84 infringements given:
68 were issued for failing to wear a helmet without an exemption
9 were issued for PMD users on a prohibited road
4 were issued for more than one person on PMD
2 were issued for using handheld mobile phone while operating a PMD
1 were issued for failing to have lights on at night
Additionally, a 38-year-old Daisy Hill man has been charged with driving unlicenced, driving unregistered, driving uninsured, driving on a footpath, unlicenced possessing dangerous drugs, obstruct police and two counts of possessing drug utensil.
He was given a notice to appear before the Brisbane Magistrates Court on March 8.
Brisbane City Highway Patrol Senior Constable Duncan Hill said their focus was on reducing the amount of unsafe behaviour and potential serious injury by riders doing the wrong thing.
“In Brisbane we have experienced a correlated increase in traffic incidents and injuries, complaints and detections of offences related to the use of e-scooters and personal mobility devices,” Senior Constable Duncan Hill said.
“The number of offences detected as part of this operation was concerning and we want to remind everyone that we do not tolerate people disregarding their own and others safety on scooters.
“These scooters are generally used in urban areas such as the Fortitude Valley and Brisbane City, so you can image how dangerous it is when you have someone not wearing a helmet or doing the wrong thing in control of one with so many pedestrians and vehicles around on a bustling Friday night.
Officers also used the operation as an opportunity to engage with people using the scooters and assist them with what the laws are when you use them which has had a positive result.
When used correctly and safely, the scooters are great way to get around and see the city. We just want to make sure that people aren’t putting themselves or others at risk by making stupid decisions and taking unnecessary risks.”
