E-scooter deaths tripled this year, new figures show

Hundreds have been seriously injured in accidents involving the emerging mode of transport, reports Andy Gregory

Trials of e-scooter rental schemes are under way across the UK (Hollie Adams/Getty Images)

The number of people killed in e-scooter accidents has tripled in the past year, new government figures show.

Twelve people died in the 12 months to June, according to statistics from the Department for Transport – up from four in the previous year.

Some 429 people have also been seriously injured in accidents involving electric scooters over the same period – nearly double the 228 major casualties in the 12 months before.

In total, there were 1,349 collisions and 1,437 casualties recorded, a significant rise from the 987 crashes and 1,033 injuries seen a year ago, part of which was spent under lockdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Among those killed was 71-year-old Linda Davis, who died in June after being hit by a scooter while walking along a residential road in Rainworth, Nottinghamshire.

Although it is legal to own an electric scooter, they can be used only on private land unless part of one of the rental schemes being trialled across the UK.

The trials, which have been extended until the end of November, were ordered by the government to assess the safety and wider impact of electric scooters.

In July 2020, the trials were fast-tracked and expanded in order “to support a ‘green’ restart of local travel and help mitigate reduced public transport capacity”, the Department for Transport said.

However, in light of the new figures, some campaigners called for the trials to be halted.

“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,” Sarah Gayton from the National Federation of the Blind told Sky News.

“They are the tip of the iceberg, because there are many injuries that are going unreported and undocumented for many reasons.”

Ashe Medforth, whose five-year-old daughter sustained three broken ribs when hit by an e-scooter, told the broadcaster that he was supportive of the use of electric scooters and – as head of the Just Put A Reg On It campaign – has been working with officials to develop better safety methods.

But he said: “We are just appalled by these figures. The only way of sorting this is through registration. It is very difficult when an e-scooter rider whizzes past to identify a person.

“[With] registration, if police see an e-scooter they will be able immediately to know whether it is an illegal scooter.”