The use of e-scooters may require riders to undergo testing following a series of fatalities and numerous severe injuries in accidents annually. The government is reportedly considering regulating these vehicles due to safety concerns on the roads. Although no formal announcement has been made, a commitment to pursue “legislative reform for micro mobility vehicles” was outlined in the recent Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan for the UK.
Recent statistics from the Department for Transport (DfT) reveal that six e-scooter riders lost their lives in accidents in England in 2023. Additionally, 416 individuals sustained serious injuries, including 343 riders and 52 pedestrians. Tragic incidents include the death of Arthur Mason, 15, from a collision with a car on Bedford Road roundabout in Marston Moretaine. Similarly, Jacob Calland, 14, was fatally injured in a crash at Southmoor Road junction, Wythenshawe. In another heartbreaking case, Scott Catton, 54, lost his life in an e-scooter collision in Top Valley, Nottingham, just days before his wedding. Furthermore, Hugo Tasker, five, required medical attention after being struck by an e-scooter in a pedestrian zone in Grimsby.
CoMoUK, a shared transport charity, has expressed approval for the potential regulations, stating that it will bring clarity to the legal status of e-scooters after years of uncertainty.
A study commissioned by the DfT in December 2022 highlighted that a significant number of residents in trial areas observed e-scooter users engaging in disruptive behaviors like racing and performing dangerous stunts.
A government insider mentioned past delays by Conservative administrations in addressing the rise of illegal e-scooters on the streets. They emphasized the importance of regulating e-scooters to ensure pedestrian and rider safety and to prevent street congestion.
Proposed regulations for private e-scooters may include mandatory testing for riders, insurance requirements, and speed restrictions imposed on manufacturers. Concerns have been raised by the Royal National Institute of Blind People about e-scooters being ridden on pavements, potentially endangering blind and partially sighted individuals by forcing them onto roadways where they could be at risk of accidents.
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