E-scooters here to stay as survey predicts 1 million owners and 200,000 accidents

Research undertaken by the dash cam company, Nextbase, suggests that over one million people will own an e-scooter at the end of 2021 and that there will be 200,000 accidents. 

Of those accidents, 63 per cent will be caused by new users, including those taking part in rental trials across our towns and cities. The research also alarmingly found that riders of e-scooters are 16 times more likely to be injured in a collision when compared to a car passenger. 

Tragic examples of serious injury and fatalities involving e-scooters

E-scooters have appeared in the news a lot recently as their popularity sores. There have been tragic cases involving fatalities and serious life-changing injuries as a result of e-scooter collisions. There have also been concerns raised about e-scooters being left in dangerous places on roads and other public places. 

The insurance position

New legislation is awaited but it seems inevitable that e-scooters are here to stay. It will be vital that safe measures are carefully considered before wider implementation across the country, that police are given powers to enforce non-compliance with safety measures and that users are responsible and consider of other users of our roads and public places. 

We also urge the Government to ensure that those with serious injury or who suffer bereavement as a result of e-scooters are not left without remedy. It is clearly wrong for a victim of a road traffic incident to be compensated but a victim of an e-scooter to go uncompensated. This makes a mockery of compulsory insurance. 

Unfortunately, we await to see the Government's proposals to reduce compulsory insurance provision in the United Kingdom. They recently indicated their intention to legislation to reduce the scope of compulsory insurance after Brexit. 

Legal advice

It is important that those seriously injured or bereaved as a result of an e-scooter seek legal advice from a specialist as quickly as possible. 

This is a moving and developing position insofar as the legal framework is concerned. At present, there are some remedies that can be explored even when the e-scooter rider was uninsured and / or driving illegally. These remedies could be reduced or closed off by Parliament in the near future. 

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in helping people following road accidents at our dedicated serious injury section.

One in five e-scooters users is predicted to be involved in an accident.”