Safety first when it comes to e-scooters

Electric scooters or e-scooters have become increasingly popular in recent years, and are now a common sight in our towns and cities.

Thinking it over with Carol Fish Director & Head of Serious and Catastrophic Injury…

As part of its Future of Transport regulatory review, the Government currently is rolling out trials of e-scooter rentals across the country, with Copeland one of a number of areas chosen to assess the safety and impact of e-scooters on the road.

However, the national roll-out of these rental trials has led to some confusion around the use of e-scooters.

Only e-scooters in the rental trials are legal on UK roads. It is against the law to ride a privately-owned e-scooter in any public space, which includes roads, footpaths, cycle tracks and lanes, bridleways, or byways. The only place a privately purchased e-scooter can currently be ridden is on private land with the owner’s consent.

When used irresponsibly, e-scooters are potentially dangerous to both the rider and other members of the public. Some e-scooters can reach speeds of more than 30mph (rental e-scooters have speed limiters) and, because they make minimal noise, pedestrians may be unaware of their approach.

Cumbria Police recently urged people to fully understand the law before buying or riding an e-scooter following a surge in anti-social behaviour involving this method of transportation.

It warned that anyone who uses an electric scooter on a public road or other prohibited space in breach of the law will be committing a criminal offence, and can be prosecuted as well as having the scooter seized under road traffic legislation. This could ultimately lead to penalty points on their driving licence, a fine, or being disqualified from driving.

The Association of Professional Injury Lawyers, of which I am a member, has stressed the importance of proper regulation and insurance for micromobility vehicles, which includes e-scooters.

It says features such as smaller wheels, the speeds which can be achieved with minimum effort, and the distances that the vehicles are likely to be used to travel, make them more prone to being involved in accidents than, for example, standard bicycles.

It acknowledges that users of these vehicles are themselves vulnerable, and more likely to be injured in an accident than a motorist, and believes that the owners of micromobility vehicles capable of independent propulsion should only be allowed on to roads if they have insurance in place.

The rental e-scooters do come with insurance cover so if a rider causes an accident then any injured person has some course of recompense. This is not always the case with privately owned e-scooters and in those circumstances a negligent rider might find themselves facing a large personal injury civil claim being brought against them and their personal assets.

As a lawyer who advises and represents seriously injured clients, I would always advocate that it is better to take steps to avoid situations which could potentially cause harm before serious injury occurs.

I would urge anyone considering purchasing an e-scooter to do their research, and only do so if they have access to private land on which to ride it.

While responsible retailers will outline to customers purchasing an e-scooter the rules and regulations surrounding their use, this may not be the case if an e-scooter is purchased online or used by someone who is not the owner. Owning an e-scooter brings with it a responsibility to both the user and the wider community.

As more people switch to environmentally friendly methods of transport rather than cars, it’s likely that new ways of travelling such as e-scooters will become more popular.

It’s vital that this change in behaviour is accompanied by necessary regulations, such as minimum safety and construction standards and mandatory insurance, to ensure the safety of all road users.

You can contact Carol on 01228 516666 or click here to send her an email.