Law firm Keoghs is calling on the Government to deliver a clear plan for the prospective legalisation of e-scooters, following a new study that highlights safety concerns.
When questioned on safety, participants were most concerned about pedestrian safety (79%), followed closely by the safety of other road users (74%) and the safety of e-scooter riders (64%).
Young people (aged 18-24), were significantly less likely to be concerned about the safety threats posed by legalising e-scooters on all roads in the UK, with 59% of those aged 18-24 stating concern about pedestrian safety compared to 90% of over 55’s.
The new figures suggest that if the legal status of private e-scooters were to change for public roads, there would be significant concerns about how they should be regulated in order to keep all road users and pedestrians safe.
Age restrictions and a licencing system for riders were favoured by around two-thirds of respondents, along with a ban on e-scooter use on pavements and pedestrianised areas.
Natalie Larnder, head of market affairs at Keoghs, said: “As the number of e-scooters on our roads increases, we urgently need the Government to properly address the laws around how they can be used safely. It’s clear that road users are concerned about safety and want an end to the ‘wild west’ created by the lack of proper regulation or clarity on how and where e-scooters can be used.
“Failure to address these points is leaving the public understandably concerned about the risk of e-scooters to pedestrians, other road users or to e-scooter riders themselves.”
DfT figures suggest there are more than 750,000 privately owned E-scooters in the UK and 882 accidents were reported involving e-scooters in the year ending June 2021.
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