 Click the image to see how to professional-ise your ADI-ness  A crackdown on private e-scooters is being recommended by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS). Their research finds that 15 riders have been killed on UK roads. PACTS has collated records from the police, insurers and media for casualties involving e-scooters in 2021. It shows almost 900 casualties, with 20% involving injuries to pedestrians and cyclists. The Department for Transport’s (DfT) figures show that there were 484 casualties involving e- scooters in 2020.
The safety of private e-scooters in the UK, PACTS advises the DfT to adopt 14 safety regulations. These should cover e- scooter construction and use, including a maximum speed limit of 12.5mph and mandatory helmets. As motorised vehicles they are very different from pedal cycles, and need to be assessed and regulated accordingly. David Davies, PACTS executive director, says e-scooters are “controversial”. “Risks to riders and pedestrians are increasingly apparent. The Government should act now to curb dangerous and illegal use. Even if the Government decides on the way forward soon, legislation will not take effect until sometime next year. They should take this opportunity to gather evidence and consult widely”. PACTS states clearly that rental e-scooters and their use are different in a number of significant respects from private e-scooters and private use. Imposing the same sophisticated safety and management systems for private e-scooters would be very difficult. A recent survey by law firm Keoghs, found that the public believe e-scooter riders should follow similar rules to other motorised vehicle users . They found that two thirds of people support age restrictions and licencing for riders. E-scooters should also be banned from use on pavements and pedestrianised areas. PACTS recommendations for the safe construction and use of private e-scooters
Report authors conclude that: “…serious adverse impacts are not seen or expected in any of the areas considered. This is because all stakeholders (new drivers, and their friends and families; employers; and service providers) were found to adapt to restrictions, with evidence showing that exemptions and changes in travel patterns help people to maintain the most important elements of their mobility, while still benefiting from well-evidenced improvements in safety.”
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