E-bike Emergency Department presentations double in 12 months
E-bike Emergency Department presentations double in 12 months
11 Feb 2026
New data from St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney shows serious injuries from e-bikes doubled in 2025 compared to the previous year and jumped 350 per cent since 2023.
There were 200 e-bike related presentations to the Sydney Emergency Department (ED) last year, up from 103 in 2024 and 45 in 2023.
The figures only include injuries serious enough to trigger a response from the St Vincent’s trauma team, with presentations for lesser injuries such as scrapes and minor soft tissue damage not included.
The trauma team is engaged for serious injuries such as bone fractures, deep tissue wounds, and severe head injuries. More than half of 2025’s patients had to be admitted to hospital, and of these, almost 10 per cent required admission to intensive care.
St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney’s Director of Trauma, Dr Tony Grabs, said e-bike injuries are more severe than traditional bikes, often involving high-speed collisions with cars or fixed objects.
He said more than half of the cases presenting to the St Vincent’s ED had self-reported speeds of more than 25 kph.
“E-bikes are heavier and faster than regular bikes and many have been illegally modified to go even faster, which only increases the severity of the injuries,” he said.
The St Vincent’s ED data also shows more than half of injuries occurred at night with alcohol and other drugs often a factor. Both the Australian and NSW governments took action towards the end of 2025 and early
2026 to make e-bikes safer, including a major tightening of e-bike import regulations to align with the European EN-15194 standard. These regulations require e-bikes to cut off the motor at 25kph, have a 250-watt continuous power limit, and an anti-tampering requirement to stop users modifying bikes for higher speeds.
“We welcome the steps taken by the authorities aimed at reducing e-bike related injuries. We hope it will deliver some positive impact on our ED numbers in the months ahead,” Dr Grabs said.
Dr Grabs is available for interview. Please contact Louise Hall on 0478 379 968.