There’s a lot of media attention on e-scooters everywhere in Australia, including Queensland, and for good reason. In the sunshine state alone, more than 5500 infringements were handed out to users in 2023.
There is plenty being done to reduce infringements, injuries and deaths involving e-scooters, including encouraging people not to ride under the influence. However, at this stage, Queensland police don’t have the power to stop users for streetside random alcohol testing.
There has been talk by the Queensland Government to change the laws and introduce random alcohol testing for e-scooter riders. Many other states and territories do allow alcohol testing. In fact, in some states you can lose your driver’s licence and receive a significant fine for riding while inebriated.
While Queensland police can’t breath test e-scooter riders on the roadside, they can still take action to make the streets safer. This involves arresting users they believe are under the influence of alcohol and then transporting them to a police station for a test. People who are found under the influence will be charged.
Queensland police and alcohol testing not only issue
Irrespective of whether random alcohol testing is introduced in Queensland for e-scooter riders, the threat of police catching riders doing the wrong thing shouldn’t be the main deterrent. Safety should.
According to an article in The Chronicle, hospitalisations for e-scooter-related injuries in Queensland reached a record high of 1273 in 2023. With more than 100 people a month ending up in emergency departments. 2023 was the first year that e-scooter emergency department visits surpassed visits by cyclists.
Police are cracking down and the 5500 infringements handed out to e-scooter riders is a testament to this. While speed is a major concern – some e-scooter riders were clocked at 90km/h – drugs and alcohol is another major contributor. Queensland police say that drugs and alcohol were contributing factors in many of the more serious crashes, including fatalities.
The Chronicle article quotes Queensland Police Brisbane City Highway Patrol Acting Sergeant Duncan Hill.
“It’s my understanding that a lot of the more serious incidents that police have had to attend, drugs and alcohol played a factor,” he said in the article. “If you’re riding while intoxicated, you are committing an offence and police have powers including the power of arrest to deal with that offence.”
He added that it’s important for people to realise that e-scooters are not toys.
“We had scooters as a kid. But these devices are not toys. These are very high-powered, and if not used correctly, dangerous vehicles. And a certain level of care needs to be given when riding, for yourself and for the other road users and pedestrians.”
FEATURED IMAGE CAPTION:
While Queensland police can’t yet conduct streetside alcohol testing on e-scooter riders, there are significant consequences for riding an e-scooter while under the influence, including potential death. Credit Hiboy https://unsplash.com/photos/a-man-riding-a-scooter-on-a-city-street-UrEl14Mg0hY
