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Electric scooter

Campaign highlights rules about e-scooters

As electric vehicles of all types become more and more common on our roads, this brings with it some safety concerns and it is important people are aware of the rules.

In a timely reminder, Travel Safe Bucks have started a campaign to ensure road users are aware of the rules around e-scooters. The combination of relatively high speed but with little noise to warn of their approach, e-scooters have already been involved in accidents which have caused serious and life changing injuries, both to pedestrians and to e-scooter drivers.

In fact, e-scooters should not be used on public roads, cycle lanes or pavements. Government regulations class e-scooters as “powered transporters” and accordingly use of them in public places is illegal – they can only be used on private land with the permission of the land owner. Using an e-scooter whilst under the influence of drink or drugs can be an offence which could lead to a prison term.

The only exceptions to public use are some Government approved trials of rental e-scooters, and data will be collected which might influence future regulation of their use.

Our serious injury claims expert, Philip Edwards, said:

“With the risk of serious injury from the use of e-scooters being so obvious, it is important that as the Government considers their use going forward, this should only be with full consideration of appropriate safety issues, primarily with measures to keep pedestrians and e-scooters separated, but maybe also including sound emissions to warn of approach. There should also be a carefully thought through policy on insurance, it is imperative that innocent victims, whether pedestrians or e-scooter riders, who sustain life changing injuries, should have access to proper compensation.”

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