Man in his 30s dies in e-scooter accident in Geraldton
Police say the man lost control of the e-scooter he was riding and fell. (ABC News: Bransen Gibson)
In short:
A man in his 30s has died after an e-scooter accident in a Geraldton suburb overnight.
Police say the man was riding a rental scooter on a footpath beside a highway when he lost control and fell.
What's next?
Police are investigating the accident and asking the public for information.
A 37-year-old man has died after an e-scooter accident in WA's Midwest city of Geraldton overnight.
Police say the man was riding a rental e-scooter along the footpath next to Brand Highway, near the intersection of Glendinning Road in Tarcoola Beach, when he lost control and fell at 12:10am.
They say the man died at the scene.
The ABC understands he suffered head injuries.
Police are urging anyone who witnessed the man riding before the incident, or has any dash-cam, CCTV or mobile phone footage, to contact Crime Stoppers.
The man is understood to have been riding a rental e-scooter when he fell and died. (ABC News: Keana Naughton)
Beam Mobility, the company that has run the e-scooter hire service in Geraldton since 2022, said it was helping police with their investigations.
"Our heartfelt condolences are with the family and the loved ones of the victim," a company statement said.
City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Jerry Clune said he believed it was the first fatal accident involving an e-scooter in the city.
"It certainly is tragic news and certainly not what anyone wants to hear around this Christmas festive season," Cr Clune said.
"Our thoughts are with all those who are related or connected to this man."
The accident occurred in the Geraldton suburb of Mount Tarcoola. (ABC News: Bransen Gibson)
Rise in e-scooter use
The mayor said there had been a huge growth in the number of e-scooters, both private and rental, being used in Geraldton in recent years.
"It's just grown so quickly, and some of the e-rideables are extremely fast and actually quite dangerous," he said.
He said he expected new regulations after a state government inquiry made 33 recommendations in a bid to make the devices safer for riders and pedestrians.
Jerry Clune is the mayor of the City of Greater Geraldton. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Chloe Henville)
At a June council meeting, the City of Greater Geraldton decided not to suspend hireable e-scooters.
This was proposed following a fatal collision involving a pedestrian and an e-scooter in Perth earlier this year.
Children under the age of 16 will be banned from using and storing e-rideables at all WA public schools starting from term one next year, following the parliamentary inquiry into WA's e-scooter and e-bike rules.
Beam Mobility said safety was the company's top priority and, since launching in Geraldton, riders had travelled almost a million kilometres, with about 99.9 per cent of trips ending safely.