A street-luge rider from Brisbane has been killed in an accident while riding with a group of lugers at Mount Coot-tha on Saturday morning.

Sue Wickenden, 50, failed to maneuver a turn and struck a steel barrier, which caused her death.

Street luge is considered an extreme sport in which enthusiasts race down a paved course at speeds reaching over 150 kilometres per hour on a thin fibreglass or plastic board that resembles a sled.

Street Luge Australia ambassador Tyler Johnson said the ride was supposed to be safe as Wickenden had full leathers and a helmet on, but police said speed may have been a factor in her failure to make a turn.

Johnson, however, said Wickenden was "travelling at a controlled speed."

"What has happened is just a freak accident. I have seen people injured before, but never seriously," Johnson said.

In an article on the Womensport Queensland website, Wickenden had said she took up the sport in her forties.

"I arrived at a point in my age time line when I had to make a decision. I could allow age to take me gently by the hand and slide into a little plumpness and a quieter life or I could fight back, kicking and screaming to stay fit into old age... I have met wonderful new friends and travel throughout Australia participating in an extreme sport," she said.

Fellow luger Andrew Smith said safety is a priority for participants.

"When we ride we stick to our own side of the road for example, always all in the correct safety gear," he told AAP.

"The hills that we ride are within the limits of people riding them; we don't let inexperienced people, for example, go and ride a hill that they can't ride correctly."

Smith said Wickenden's fatal accident should not mean luge is an unsafe sport.