Dad’s E-Scooter Warning: Daughter’s Horror Crash

A Father’s Plea: The Devastating Reality of E-Scooter Dangers

The Sunshine Coast is a region synonymous with a relaxed lifestyle, but for one father, the image of carefree riding has been shattered by a horrific e-scooter accident that left his teenage daughter with life-altering injuries. Gary Flowers is issuing a stark warning to parents across Australia: think twice before buying your children e-scooters.

His daughter, Jasmine, then 16, was at a friend’s house when she fell from an e-scooter, sustaining a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain. The accident, which occurred in January last year, saw Jasmine travelling at a speed of 28km/h. While she has since admitted fault for the incident, the consequences have been profound.

“Don’t buy them, I’m sorry to be blunt,” Gary implored. “They don’t need to be bought, they’re on every corner of every city and town street, they’re everywhere.” His plea stems from the harrowing experience of seeing his daughter in intensive care, tethered to life-support. “You don’t ever want to be in the ICU of any hospital when you see your child with half a dozen tubes keeping them alive. That is the most horrible thing you could ever, ever see.”

A Nightmare Unfolds: From Sunshine Coast to Brisbane

Following the fall, Jasmine was rushed to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital. Doctors delivered the devastating news to Gary: a fractured skull and the real possibility of a brain bleed. The severity of her condition necessitated an immediate transfer to Brisbane.

The flight to Brisbane, a journey that took just 20 minutes, felt like an eternity for Gary. “I can’t remember anything in between the 20 minutes it took to fly to Brisbane, I just remember her laying there,” he recounted, his voice heavy with emotion. “I was thinking to myself the whole way, ‘I’ve seen this before on TV, I’ve heard stuff like this on the news, they don’t make it.’”

Doctors explained that Jasmine had hit her head so forcefully on one side that her brain had shifted, causing swelling and bleeding on the opposite side. The initial 24 hours were critical, with medical staff expressing significant concern. “It was the most horrible four days of my life to be honest,” Gary admitted.

The Long Road to Recovery

After four days in an induced coma, Jasmine was brought out of it. While the relief was palpable for Gary and his wife Chanphen, who spent a month by their daughter’s side in hospital, Jasmine was initially disoriented. “She still didn’t know where she was, what was happening, what was going on, but it was definitely a relief because they told her she would be leaving the ICU in 24 hours,” Gary said.

Jasmine was subsequently moved to a neurology ward. It took weeks for her to comprehend the extent of her accident, initially only remembering cuts and bruises. Almost 18 months on, while her memory has improved, she still attends regular appointments with specialists.

The e-scooter crash has left Jasmine with lasting impairments: she is deaf in one ear and struggles to fully close one of her eyes. While she has regained approximately 95% of her vision in the affected eye, the impact has been significant.

Despite these challenges, Jasmine has shown remarkable resilience. She has since graduated from high school and is now looking forward to obtaining her driver’s licence and finding a part-time job, demonstrating a strong will to move forward.

Expert Concerns: A Growing Safety Crisis

Gary Flowers’s concerns are echoed by industry professionals and medical experts across Australia. Dennis Lightfoot, a West Australian bike shop owner, has taken a firm stance against e-scooters, refusing to sell or repair them due to safety issues.

“They’re just so hard to control, the brakes are minimal,” Lightfoot stated. He advocates for e-bikes, which he believes are a safer alternative, provided they meet Australian safety standards. “If it’s a bike that’s purchased from a bike shop, and I’m not just saying this because I own a bike shop, you know you’re getting something that’s passed an Australian standard. The bike is restricted to 25km/h, it has brakes that are designed for it.”

Lightfoot also warned against purchasing e-bikes online or from informal sellers, as their quality and compliance with Australian standards are often questionable. He highlighted the danger of “chipping” devices to increase their speed beyond safe limits.

A Public Health Issue: Alarming Injury Rates

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) Queensland President, Associate Professor Erica Gannon, has expressed serious concerns about the surge in injuries associated with e-mobility devices. Emergency departments are routinely dealing with a range of injuries, from minor cuts and bruises to severe head trauma and broken bones.

“Life-changing injuries are devastating for the patient and their families,” Associate Professor Gannon commented. “Deaths, of course, are shocking for the whole community.”

Queensland recorded a concerning 14 deaths and over 2,000 serious injuries related to e-scooters and e-bikes last year alone. AMA Queensland has welcomed the parliamentary inquiry into e-mobility device usage and the impending ban for riders under 16.

“It’s so important sensible regulation is introduced to reduce the risk to both users and pedestrians,” Gannon urged. “Children do not have the same skills as older riders to keep themselves safe, especially at higher speeds and in traffic.” The AMA is also calling for government investment in safe, separated pathways to protect riders and pedestrians from motor vehicles.

Dr. Brendan Morrissey, deputy director of emergency medicine at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, has observed a consistent year-on-year increase in e-scooter injuries among adults. Presentations at his hospital have risen dramatically, from 17 in 2021 to 81 in 2025.

“The increasing numbers are of concern, and we would advocate for safety so that e-scooter users can protect themselves and others,” Dr. Morrissey stated. He outlined crucial safety measures: