Mother calls for tougher e-scooter rules after son's death
The mother of a boy killed in an e-scooter accident has urged authorities to introduce stricter safety regulations for e-scooters.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The mother of a 14-year-old boy who died after falling from an e-scooter has called for urgent changes to the law, saying the government is "kicking the can down the road". Carly Calland's son Jacob was killed in March last year after he jumped on the back of a friend's e-scooter without a helmet. He collided with a car and spent eight days in hospital before dying. New figures released today show that 500 children have been hurt in e-scooter incidents over the past seven years, a number Ms Calland described as "disgusting".
Speaking on 5 News, Ms Calland said she wanted e-scooters to be legalised, with mandatory helmets, a ban on carrying passengers, and compulsory insurance. She said she had met transport minister Simon Lightwood, who told her the legislation needed to change, but nearly 12 months on nothing had happened. "I'm hoping now the legislation with the outcome of today will change," she said.
Ms Calland also warned other parents not to buy e-scooters for their children, pointing out that they are illegal to ride in public places and can only be used on private land with the owner's permission. "It's one of the worst decisions you'll ever make," she said. "Luckily, I didn't buy Jacob that e-scooter, but imagine I did and he went out and lost his life. I've basically just killed my own child."
She has set up a website, jacobsjourney.net, to share her son's story and campaign for change. She said she was "saving lives" by putting Jacob's journey out there, and that she had "all the time in the world to grieve" but wanted to focus on preventing other tragedies. The interview included pictures of Jacob in hospital, which Ms Calland said she had documented to show him "his actions to his consequence".
The presenter noted that the study found 500 children had been hurt, and Ms Calland replied: "It's disgusting. It shouldn't be like that. We shouldn't still be seeing deaths day in, day out now." She urged the government to "stop kicking the can down the road and start making things right".
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 |
|---|---|
| A study reported that 500 children were injured by e-scooters in the last seven years. | |
| E-scooters are illegal to ride in public places and may only be used on private land with the landowner's permission. | |
| Transport minister Simon Lightwood said legislation needed to change, but no change has happened in nearly 12 months. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The channel gave the story a deeply personal and emotional treatment, centring on a one-on-one interview with the grieving mother. It focused on her campaign demands, the human cost of the accident, and her direct appeal to other parents. The tone was sympathetic and supportive, with the presenter showing pictures of Jacob in hospital and allowing the mother to speak at length about her son and her fight for legal change.
- “I am fighting with the government at the moment because I want them to legalise e-scooters, make mandatory helmets, prohibit passengers being carried, and get some insurance.”
- “It's one of the worst decisions you'll ever make because, luckily, I didn't buy Jacob that e-scooter, but imagine I did and he went out and lost his life.”
- “We shouldn't still be seeing deaths day in, day out now. It should be the government need to really stop kicking the can down the road and start making things right.”
Broadcast Timeline
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