The variety of individuals killed in e-scooter crashes has tripled within the final 12 months, new figures have revealed.
Data from the Department for Transport (DfT) reveals 12 individuals died in incidents involving e-scooters within the 12 months ending June 2022.
The determine is thrice greater than for a similar interval in 2021, when 4 individuals died.
Meanwhile, the variety of individuals significantly injured by or when utilizing e-scooters has virtually doubled over the past 12 months, up from 228 in 2021’s figures to 429 in 2022.
The newest DfT figures come following the loss of life of 71-year-old Linda Davis, who died after being hit by an e-scooter in Nottinghamshire in June.
Mrs Davis is considered the primary pedestrian to die in an e-scooter collision within the UK.
A 14-year-old boy, who witnesses say was driving on a pavement when the scooter struck Ms Davies, was questioned by police following the incident. He stays beneath investigation.
While it’s authorized to purchase e-scooters within the UK, it’s unlawful to make use of privately-owned units on roads and pavements. Private e-scooters can, nonetheless, be used on non-public land.
The authorities is at present operating e-scooter rental trials in 30 completely different areas of the UK.
The DfT is trialling schemes, run by non-public suppliers resembling Voi and Lime, in a variety of main cities, together with London, Nottingham and Bristol.
The authorities just lately prolonged the trials, the outcomes from which will probably be used to assist drive future laws on e-scooter utilization, till May 2024.
What do campaigners say?
Following the newest knowledge on deaths and severe accidents, campaigners have referred to as on the federal government to instantly pause its e-scooter trials.
Sarah Gayton, from the National Federation of the Blind of the UK, advised Sky News: “These figures should give a strong message to the newly appointed Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper to urgently shut the e-scooter trials down and to rethink new legislation making private e-scooters legal to use on the public highway.
“They are the tip of the iceberg, as there are lots of accidents which can be going unreported and undocumented for a lot of causes.
“These figures are also not capturing the many pedestrians, many of which are older, that are being knocked over or have very close misses with e-scooters being ridden on pavements and public spaces.”
Other campaigners have referred to as on the federal government to introduce laws which is able to make it obligatory for e-scooters to have licence plates.
Ashe Medforth, 56, whose daughter, Holly, 5, was hit by an e-scooter whereas strolling on a pavement and left with three damaged ribs and a concussion, is head of the grassroots Just Put A Reg On It marketing campaign.
Mr Medforth, who says he’s supportive of the usage of e-scooters and has been working with officers to develop strategies to enhance security, advised Sky News: ‘We are simply appalled by these figures.
‘The solely approach of sorting that is by way of registration. It may be very tough when an e-scooter rider whizzes previous to determine an individual.
‘By having a registration, police in the event that they see an e-scooter will have the ability to instantly know whether or not it’s an unlawful scooter.’
E-scooter crashes up year-on-year
According to the newest DfT figures, there have been 1,349 recorded collisions and 1,437 casualties involving e-scooters within the 12 months to the top of June 2022.
The determine is a rise from the 978 crashes and 1,033 casualties recorded the 12 months earlier than – the start of which the UK spent in COVID lockdown.
Males aged 10-19 have been the most important demographic when it comes to these concerned in crashes, adopted by males aged 20-29.
And London was by far essentially the most prevalent space for e-scooter crashes, with 463 recorded throughout the 12 months, adopted by Nottinghamshire (91) and Avon and Somerset (87).
According to the DfT’s newest figures, the possession standing of e-scooters concerned in crashes was largely listed as ‘unknown’ by police forces recording the information.
Where figures have been recorded, 120 of the crashes concerned non-public e-scooters, whereas 133 concerned rented units.
A lot of severe e-scooter crashes have made nationwide headlines this 12 months, together with the loss of life of Mrs Davis in Nottinghamshire in June.
In the identical month, 18-year-old Mason Pitt died in hospital following a crash on a rental scooter in Slough. At an inquest in August, a coroner heard that {the teenager} died of a neck harm after falling off the scooter.
Read extra:
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In March, a 14-year-old woman died after she was concerned in a crash with a van in Newham, east London.
A 21-year-old lady died 4 days after she crashed whereas driving a rented e-scooter in Northampton, whereas a 74-year-old man additionally died in Greater Manchester in January after colliding with two parked vehicles on New Year’s Day.
What do the federal government and suppliers say?
The DfT says the primary goal of its trials is to “assess the safety and wider impacts of e-scooters and development of best practice for shared micromobility services”.
Under the DfT’s scheme, these with legitimate UK driving licences are in a position to make use of rented e-scooters on roads and cycle paths.
Outside of the DfT’s trial schemes, the usage of non-public e-scooters stays unlawful on public roads and pathways. Experts imagine there are as many as a million e-scooter riders throughout the UK.
Meanwhile, police have been cracking down on non-public e-scooter riders, with the Metropolitan Police seizing greater than 3,600 between January and November final 12 months.
The authorities says it hopes to draft laws sooner or later which is able to additional regulate e-scooters, together with technical necessities and expectations of customers on the roads.
A Department for Transport spokesperson mentioned: “While the number of road casualties has decreased compared with pre-pandemic levels, we’re working tirelessly to improve road safety through our THINK! campaign and Road Safety Investigation Branch.
“Safety is on the coronary heart of our e-scooter trials, seeking to shield riders, pedestrians and different street customers.
“While riding a privately owned e-scooter on public land is currently illegal, we are considering how best to design future regulations.”
Meanwhile, Voi, one of many largest e-scooter rental suppliers concerned within the DfT’s scheme, says it has offered greater than 20 million rides because the begin of the trial.
The micromobility agency, which is operating trials in 17 cities together with Bristol, Birmingham and Northampton, mentioned security was its “number one priority”.
A spokesperson advised Sky News: “Overwhelmingly, the majority of riders ride safely and follow the rules, only a very small percentage don’t follow the rules.”
The spokesperson mentioned its prospects are “significantly more accountable” than non-public e-scooter riders as a result of prospects having to enter their particulars with the intention to use the service.
“Voi wants a level playing field if or when legislation is introduced to legalise private e-scooters by the government, with insurance, number plates and above all, accountability,” Voi’s spokesperson added.
Sky News has additionally contacted Lime, which supplies e-scooter providers in London, for a remark.
Source: information.sky.com”