AAMI has released new research pointing to widespread concern among Australian drivers about school-aged children riding e-bikes and e-scooters, with implications for road safety policy, liability exposure, and insurance coverage settings. The insurer’s survey shows 70% of drivers oppose children using e-bikes and e-scooters in school zones, describing them as “too dangerous” or citing young riders’ limited knowledge of road rules and perceived gaps in legislation as key issues. More than a third (39%) say the devices should be banned from school zones altogether, aligning with restrictions that make them illegal for under-16s in most states. Several schools in Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia have already imposed bans on e-bikes and e-scooters on school grounds from the start of this year, signalling a more conservative stance by education authorities even as use among young people grows.
The AAMI research indicates that drivers’ concerns focus on three main areas: speed, visibility, and inexperience. Two-thirds (67%) of respondents are concerned about how fast e-bikes and e-scooters can travel. Just over half (52%) are worried that children lack sufficient understanding of road rules, including how to manage intersections and roundabouts, while 41% are uneasy about children riding near busy roads. A further 40% are concerned that motorists may not easily see children using these devices.
The survey also highlights driver behaviour as part of the risk environment. One in five (21%) drivers admit they have sped through a school zone after failing to notice the signs, and almost one in 10 say they have deliberately exceeded the limit because they did not see children nearby. More than a third (35%) report confusion about school zones – covering speed limits, active times, and signage – and about a quarter say they have struggled to understand “Stop, Drop, and Go” rules. Thirteen percent concede being distracted by their mobile phones while driving through or queuing in these zones. For insurers, these findings point to an interaction between child rider behaviour and driver non-compliance, with potential ramifications for fault allocation and claims handling when incidents occur in school precincts.
The research suggests that many drivers are not opposed to e-micromobility in principle but want stronger safeguards in place for children. More than 90% of respondents say helmet use should be mandatory with no exceptions. Almost three-quarters (73%) want lower-speed modes or settings to be locked in on children’s devices, while 58% believe children should be limited to bike paths or shared paths, rather than the road network. Some respondents support broader infrastructure and regulatory measures, including wider footpaths, more segregated bike lanes, and tighter speed rules for devices. However, 28% indicate that no measure would make them comfortable with children riding e-bikes or e-scooters.
AAMI motor claims manager Leah James said the findings signal a need for better community understanding of both the risks and the rules as electric micromobility becomes embedded in school travel. “As e-bikes and e-scooters become more accessible, children are increasingly using them to get to and from school – but the community clearly has significant safety concerns. These high-powered devices can weigh as much as motorbikes, and if you’re involved in a collision with one, especially as a pedestrian, you can be left with catastrophic and life-long injuries. Drivers are confused, distracted, and don’t always follow road rules. When you add fast-moving devices – like e-bikes and e-scooters, driven by kids with limited road safety experience, you’ve got a recipe for chaos. We want families, schools, and drivers to understand the risks, know the rules, and have the right conversations to keep children safe on the roads to and from school this year,” James said.
Australian Road Safety Foundation founder and chair Russell White said parents and schools may not always be aware of the legal constraints on child riders. “Many Australians may not be aware that in several states, it is illegal for children under 16 to ride e-bikes and e-scooters. There are some exceptions. In Queensland, 12–15-year-olds are allowed to ride personal mobility devices under close adult supervision. In New South Wales, children 16 and older can ride shared e-scooters under the current trial, but personal e-scooters remain illegal unless on private property. There are also strict rules around where these devices can be used, helmet requirements, speed limits, passengers, mobile phone use, riding under the influence, and equipment such as lights and bells for night riding,” White said.
He added: “School zones are busy enough without adding turbo-charged kids into the mix. Not only could they potentially injure themselves, but they could also injure another child or pedestrian. We want the 2026 school year to be memorable for all the right reasons for Australian families – and that means putting down the phone, paying attention in school zones, and following the road rules – because they are there to keep everyone, especially our kids, safe.” These jurisdictional differences and device classifications create complexity for insurers assessing compliance, liability, and coverage, particularly where policies refer to “motor vehicles,” “powered devices,” or “illegal modifications.”
Emerging international and local research is reinforcing concerns about injury severity associated with e-bikes, relative to traditional bicycles. Milad Haghani, principal research fellow in resilience and mobility at the University of Melbourne, notes that overseas data show e-bike riders have a higher fatal crash risk than pedal cyclists. In the Netherlands, the rate of fatal crashes involving e-bike owners has exceeded that of regular bicycle riders in recent years. A large US study, examining almost 4,000 child e-bike injury cases and nearly two million traditional bicycle injuries, found that between 2011 and 2020, e-bike injuries among children increased while regular bicycle injuries declined. Children hurt on e-bikes were twice as likely to be hospitalised as those on standard bikes, with the 10–13 age group most frequently affected.
An Israeli study of more than 500 hospitalised child cyclists – about one-third riding e-bikes – reported more severe injuries among e-bike riders, including a greater likelihood of collisions with motor vehicles and higher rates of loss of consciousness. Nearly half required orthopaedic surgery. A 2025 study of over 700 riders aged 10–25 found e-bike riders were twice as likely to suffer traumatic brain injuries as riders of conventional bicycles. Haghani’s recent research on e-scooters in Australia shows that one in three fatal e-scooter crashes involved riders under 18, with more than half of these cases occurring in Queensland, where children as young as 12 can ride with supervision. Early adoption of e-micromobility, relatively permissive rules, and extended riding seasons are seen as factors increasing exposure.
Haghani points to a mix of physical and behavioural elements driving higher risk for young riders. E-bikes are heavier and faster than traditional bicycles, often capable of reaching 40 km/h to 60 km/h. Experimental studies on hazard perception have found that e-bike riders aged 16–18 identify fewer developing hazards and react later than adults in simulated traffic scenarios, with performance improving with age and experience. In Australia, many e-bikes used by children are modified or technically non-compliant. Conversion kits available online can remove speed limiters, and online tutorials show how to increase power and speed, with limited practical enforcement. Reports of teenagers performing wheelies, racing through intersections, and riding on the wrong side of the road suggest that risk-taking behaviour, amplified by social media and peers, is part of the picture that insurers and regulators must consider.
Clinical data in New South Wales support the trend highlighted by AAMI’s research. The Sydney Children’s Hospital Network reports that 94 children presented with e-bike-related injuries in 2025, up from 60 in 2024 and 33 in 2023. Reported injuries range from abrasions and soft-tissue damage to fractures and severe head injuries. Trauma surgeon Dr SV Soundappan, from The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, said hospitals are seeing increasing numbers of e-bike and e-scooter cases. “We have seen children as young as four. Fortunately, most of the injuries are minor, abrasions, contusions, or small cuts and fractures, but we do see a significant number of children with head injuries. They are a concern to us, in terms of the long-term effects some of these injuries can have on children,” Soundappan said, as reported by ABC. E-bikes are now a common feature in areas such as Sydney’s Sutherland Shire and Northern Beaches, where they are used for local transport and recreation. Pedestrian incidents involving e-bikes at speeds higher than those of standard bicycles have also been reported, raising additional public liability and bodily injury considerations.
For Australian insurance professionals, the convergence of increased child use, higher injury severity, and varied legal frameworks raises several issues:
As regulators, road safety bodies, and education sectors respond, insurers and brokers are likely to revisit underwriting guidelines, policy definitions, exclusions, and risk education initiatives to address the evolving exposure associated with children’s use of e-bikes and e-scooters.
