A young girl was knocked over by an e-bike being ridden through a shopping arcade at Mona Vale.
Serious concerns over e-bike use and safety are becoming more urgent following the latest incident involving a small girl knocked down and injured in a busy outdoor shopping arcade at Bungan Street, Mona Vale, just before 7.30pm yesterday evening (Thursday, 27 March).
NSW Police and NSW Ambulance were called to the scene following reports a seven-year-old girl had been knocked over by an e-bike ridden by a teenage boy, who appeared to be around 15-years-old.
Bystanders said the boy had been riding ‘very fast’ through the busy arcade, which runs between Bungan Street and Akuna Lane. It is a route commonly used by pedestrians going between the Mona Vale main street shops and Woolworths.
The arcade was packed with outdoor diners, who were sitting close to the collision when it occurred. The girl had been with her father, and she was sent flying when the teen rode into her. According to bystanders, the teen had not slowed as he rode up from the quieter end of the arcade close to Bungan Street.
The girl was assessed by NSW Ambulance Intensive Care Paramedics and treated for injuries to her lower legs and face, before she was taken to Northern Beaches Hospital in a stable condition shortly after 8.00pm.
Officers attached to Northern Beaches Police Area Command were observed speaking with the teenage boy (image above), but have limited powers to confiscate the e-bike, even if it had been illegally modified.
Images: Northern Beaches Advocate
Editorial note: This is the seventh e-bike incident across five articles reported this year by the Northern Beaches Advocate (see related articles below). Additional incidents involving e-bikes are recorded in our weekly ‘Public safety round-up’ and does not include the numerous near misses posted regularly on social media.
This story originally stated we did not observe a helmet at the scene, another bystander has come forward to confirm they saw the teenage boy wearing a black helmet.
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