Queensland Leads the Way: New Age Regulations for E-Mobility – Time for Europe to Follow?

Queensland Leads the Way: New Age Regulations for E-Mobility – Time for Europe to Follow?

Children and teenagers riding e-scooters — along with less common devices like e-skateboards and e-unicycles — have long been one of the hottest safety issues in micromobility. New statistics from the Australian state of Queensland now show that clear, consistent regulations actually work – a development the whole of Europe should take note of.

What Happened in Queensland?

As of August 31, 2026, new rules apply in Queensland: riders must be aged 16 years or older, with fines of $518 for those who break this rule, and riders must hold a valid driver licence, at minimum a Learner licence. While e-scooters are by far the most common device on the roads, the rules apply equally to e-skateboards and e-unicycles, and separate rules also apply to e-bikes, which now require riders to be 16 or older with a valid licence.

This isn't an isolated political whim – the background is serious. Queensland's government action follows 12 deaths and over 6,300 hospital visits linked to e-mobility incidents over the past year. It's the youngest riders who have been hit hardest: in 2025, almost 1,100 of Queensland's e-scooter injury reports involved children under 16, and nearly a third of riders were exceeding the 25 km/h limit when injured.

Lawmakers even considered a total ban for everyone under 16, but under the new laws, children aged 12 to 17 (where 16- and 17-year-olds lack a licence) may only ride an e-bike, e-scooter, e-skateboard, or e-unicycle under parental supervision, and parents of children under 16 who ride illegally can be held liable.

The results speak for themselves – a clear reduction in serious injuries among children since the rules were introduced, exactly what health authorities had hoped for.

Why This Matters for Europe

The lack of clear, consistent regulations is one of the biggest problems facing electric skateboards in Europe – not the technology itself. A previous article on the global regulatory landscape noted that laws around electric skateboarding vary widely from country to country, and even within regions of the same country. That patchwork persists: in some countries, electric skateboards remain in a legal grey zone, while others have set clear age limits and speed restrictions.

Queensland's model is an excellent example of how to make it clear who, how, where, and when someone is allowed to ride an electric device:

  • Who: minimum age of 16, with exceptions for supervised riding from age 12.
  • How: licence/certification requirements ensuring basic traffic knowledge.
  • Where: defined zones for sidewalks, bike lanes, and roads.
  • When: speed limits and rules adapted to the environment.

This is exactly the kind of clarity Europe needs. Today, both parents and riders must navigate a patchwork of unclear or non-existent rules from country to country, city to city. A shared European framework – inspired by Queensland's age limit and licensing requirements, covering e-scooters as well as other personal mobility devices – would not only make things safer for young riders, but also give serious manufacturers a stable foundation for responsible product development.

Conclusion

Queensland's example shows that clear rules work in practice – not just on paper. A defined age limit, basic riding competency requirements, and clear guidelines on where riding is permitted are exactly the kind of framework that would benefit both safety and a healthy, growing market for electric micromobility in Europe.

Source: 7NEWS – "You've only got one brain": doctors' stark warning as child e-scooter injuries drop dramatically in Queensland

 

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