'Tragic': Teen, 15, dies after his e-bike crashes into a pole - despite witness's desperate attempts to save him
A teenager who was too young to ride his e-bike has died in a crash in Tasmania.
- Teenage boy, 15, dies in e-bike crash in Tasmania
- Police say it is unknown whether he wore a helmet
- READ MORE: Tributes flow for Australian man killed fighting in Ukraine
By CAITLIN POWELL - NEWS REPORTER
Published: 21:48 GMT, 1 January 2026 | Updated: 22:28 GMT, 1 January 2026
A teenage boy has died after he crashed his e-bike in Tasmania on New Year's Eve, despite frantic attempts by a witness to save his life.
Emergency services were called to Don Heads Road in the state's north-west just after 8pm on Wednesday following reports an e-bike had crashed into a pole.
The rider, a 15-year-old boy from Devonport, died at the scene.
'Investigations into the crash are ongoing and a report will be prepared for the coroner,' Tasmania Police said in a statement.
'Our thoughts are with the rider's family and loved ones.'
A nearby resident is believed to have desperately tried to save the teenager just moments after the crash.
'He was only 15 years old, so this is tragic,' Inspector Nick Clark told ABC News.
The inspector said a helmet had been found at the scene, but it was unclear whether the teen had been wearing it at the time of the crash.
A 15-year-old boy has died in Tasmania after he crashed his e-bike on Wednesday evening at Don Heads Road in the state's north-west
Police have urged Australians to check laws surrounding e-bikes following the crash, including the age of riders as they must be 16 years or older to ride the vehicle (stock image)
The 2025 road toll was 44 in Tasmania, the highest since 50 lives were lost in 2022 (stock)
'You've got to be 16 years or older to ride an e-bike, you've got to be wearing an approved safety helmet if you're out on the road,' he said.
'Check the legislation whether your e-bike is compliant.'
The teen's death marked one of two New Year's Eve fatalities on Tasmania's roads, with a 72-year-old motorcyclist dying near Campbell Town in the Northern Midlands.
Up to 44 lives were lost on Tasmanian roads in 2025, the highest number since 50 lives were lost in 2022.
Inspector Clark said a 'concerning factor' regarding the 2025 toll was an increase in the number of motorcyclists killed.
'Unfortunately, 12 motorcyclists died on Tasmania's roads last year,' he told the ABC.