Insurers have welcomed proposed reforms addressing dangerous and illegal e-mobility devices in Queensland and want other parts of Australia to follow suit.

Under the bill, devices capable of topping 25km/h would be reclassified as motorbikes and may require registration and compulsory third party insurance.

The Insurance Council of Australia says it is a necessary response to a surge in serious injuries and deaths on roads and footpaths.

CEO Andrew Hall says there are thousands of illegal devices on Queensland’s roads, operating “completely outside the safety net” of insurance.

The injury toll from e-mobility devices across Australia is unacceptable, he adds.

“The proposed laws send a clear message that illegal, unregistered, high-powered machines have no place on our roads and footpaths.

“If a device can’t be registered, it can’t be insured, and that leaves everyone exposed.

“Insurers are ready to work with the Queensland government to make sure these reforms deliver the safety outcomes Queenslanders expect and call on other jurisdictions to follow Queensland’s lead in this area.”

However, ICA recommends close monitoring of the ways a proposed 10km/h shared path speed limit affects rider behaviour and injury patterns.

“There is a risk that it may unintentionally encourage some e-mobility riders to shift onto roads where higher speed limits apply, potentially increasing exposure to more severe collisions,” ICA said in a submission on the Transport and Other Legislation (Managing E-mobility Use and Protecting Our Communities) Amendment Bill.

“This behavioural shift could elevate risk to riders and result in increased CTP claims.”

ICA also calls for sufficient police resourcing, training and operational guidance, and consistent enforcement across the state.

It supports a proposed e-mobility rider minimum age of 16, saying claims and injury data show younger riders are disproportionately represented in serious incidents.

This is “largely due to inexperience, risk-taking behaviour and limited hazard perception”, ICA says.

The council also warns on the fire threat from lithium-ion batteries in modified devices.

See the submission here.