BREAKING: E-Scooter Death Sparks Fury in Geraldton as City Cracks Down on Rogue Rentals with Draconian New Rules
- A 20km/h speed limit and midnight curfew are just the beginning as the City of Greater Geraldton takes drastic measures to curb the e-scooter safety crisis
- Tragic death of a man who fell from a rental e-scooter last month sparks urgent call to action on safety regulations
- Community demands better enforcement and accountability from hire companies like Beam Mobility as security analysts warn of a “ticking time bomb”
In a desperate bid to prevent further tragedy, the City of Greater Geraldton has imposed a raft of stringent new regulations on rogue e-scooter rentals, following the devastating death of a man who fell from a hire scooter last month.
The council’s drastic measures come as a direct response to mounting community pressure for better safety measures and greater accountability from hire companies like Beam Mobility, which has been accused of putting profits over people’s lives.
Under the new rules, all hire e-rideables will be forced to shut down between midnight and 5:30am, and the maximum speed of all hireable e-scooters will be slashed to 20km per hour, with a 10km per hour limit in slow zones.
In a stark warning, Mayor Jerry Clune declared that the council had an opportunity to “stamp out antisocial behaviour” and improve safety standards, cautioning that “you’ve got to take road trauma in context with every other user of the road like pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles.”
But the new regulations are just the beginning, with the council’s chief executive proposing a raft of additional measures, including stricter helmet laws and the introduction of community volunteers to report poor behaviour, such as doubling and helmetless riding.
As the e-scooter safety crisis continues to unfold, security analysts warn that the lack of effective legislation has allowed e-scooter companies to operate with impunity, putting profits over people’s lives. Law enforcement insiders have voiced their concerns that the current situation is a “ticking time bomb,” and that it’s only a matter of time before another tragedy occurs.
Industry observers believe that the government needs to take a more proactive approach to regulating the e-scooter industry, including introducing stricter safety standards, increased penalties for non-compliance, and greater investment in public education campaigns.
As the people of Geraldton demand better, the rest of Australia is being urged to take heed of the warning signs. The status quo is no longer acceptable, and it’s time for governments, industry leaders, and the community to come together to demand real change.