By Adrian Fawden at Taunton Chamber of Commerce members Pardoes Solicitors:
I am sure you have all seen them… zipping niftily around our towns. They might have whizzed past you on the pavement, cycle path or road. Or perhaps you caught sight of their slightly kitsch counterparts, the brightly coloured hire models, widely available in Yeovil, Taunton, Crewkerne, Chard, Bath, Bristol and beyond.
You might have thought: ‘that looks fun’, or perhaps ‘that looks dangerous’.
Nevertheless, I am sure you will all be interested in the recent statistics released by the UK Govt which revealed an increase in reported accidents involving E-scooters in 2022 :
- There were 1492 casualties in collisions involving e-scooters,
- There were 12 killed in collisions involving e-scooters (11 of whom were e-scooter riders)
- Best estimates indicates that there were 440 seriously injured and 1,040 slightly injured in collisions involving e-scooters, an increase of the 418 and 1,006 respectively in 2021
These, of course, are only the incidents that have been reported. A significant amount of collisions don’t; the victim is left on their backside as the rider swiftly moves off or limps away. Indeed, E- scooters can be dangerous in the wrong hands .
Despite their pitfalls, E-scooters are seen by many as a positive step towards a greener, more efficient, and convenient urban transportation system. Many metropolitan areas in the UK, including those locally in Dorset and Somerset, have embraced licensed E-scooter schemes. However, a corollary impact of these schemes is an increased risk of accident and injury for riders and pedestrians, exacerbated by reckless riding behaviour, infrastructure challenges, and individuals riding under the influence of alcohol.
It is clear that there seems to be a widespread ignorance about the regulations governing the use of E-scooters:
DID YOU KNOW ?
If you are riding an E-scooter, that is not part of one of the licensed schemes (i.e the brightly coloured ones), anywhere other than on Private Land, you are committing an offence!
This is because, under the s185 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, E-scooters are treated as a motor vehicle, and therefore, must be insured, registered, and are restricted in their use (i.e. cannot be driven on the pavement). This, of course, means that you can be liable for an offence under the road traffic act when using an e-scooter, even under the Licensed Scooter scheme, if you don’t have a licence, or are riding without insurance. In these situation, you could face a Fixed Penalty notice:
- Up to £100 fine and 3-6 penalty points for riding without the correct licenceA £300 fine and six penalty points on your licence for having no insurance
You could also be committing an offence if you’re caught:
- Riding on a pavement (Fixed Penalty Notice and possible £50 fine);
- Using a mobile phone or other handheld mobile device while riding (£200 fine and 6 penalty points);
- Riding through red lights (Fixed Penalty Notice, £100 fine and possible penalty points);
- Riding whilst intoxicated (the same as if you were driving a car, you could face court imposed fines, a driving ban and possible imprisonment).
INJURED BY AN E-SCOOTER ?
Here at Pardoes, sadly, we are already dealing with cases involving life changing injuries as a result of negligent use of an E-scooter. If you were injured, either in a collision with, or as a result of riding, on one of the licensed schemes across Dorset and Somerset, then there is insurance in place to compensate the victim if there was fault involved. Alternatively, even if you were injured by an unlicensed E-scooter, a claim can be made against the Motor Insurers Bureau, with advice from Pardoes Personal Injury Solicitors.
If you have suffered an injury caused using or collision with an E-Scooter contact Adrian Fawden at Pardoes now for free initial advice on 01823 446204 or email [email protected] or visit https://www.pardoes.co.uk/you/personal-injury
Read the article here: https://www.pardoes.co.uk/blog/e-scootersbe-aware