Two-thirds of Brits want e-scooters taken off the roads for good
A cancer survivor who nearly lost his foot in a brutal e-scooter accident is among millions in the UK calling for them to be kept off the streets, MailOnline can reveal.
Two-thirds of Britons want e-scooters banned from public roads, while three-quarters think a driving license and insurance should be a requirement to use one, a survey by the National Accident Helpline found.
Cancer survivor Luke Barratt, from Barnsley, was in remission from leukemia when he was struck with life-changing injuries on October 26, 2021 following an e-scooter accident.
The 32-year-old’s mobility was limited by his leukemia, but he hoped an e-scooter would allow him to visit family living nearby.
However, while riding the scooter, he misjudged the curb and was flung to the ground. His right foot was almost completely torn off his ankle.
Cancer patient Luke Barratt, 32, from Barnsley, nearly broke off his right foot (pictured) after an e-scooter crash
Mr Barratt (pictured) underwent multiple emergency surgeries that lasted hours as doctors saved his foot
After the crash, Mr Barratt said: ‘I tried to get back on it at first but then I realized my leg was in one place and my foot in another’
He revealed he continued to be in pain after the operation and called for e-scooters to be banned from British roads
He is one of millions in the UK calling for them to be taken off the streets, MailOnline can reveal (Image file)
Passersby rushed to help him and he was taken to Northern General Hospital in Sheffield.
There he underwent multiple emergency surgeries that lasted hours as doctors saved his foot.
“I wasn’t quite sure how fast it was going and what the consequences would be,” says Luke Barnsley Chronicle.
“I tried to get back on it at first, but then I realized my leg was in one place and my foot in another.
‘I’m still in pain. I don’t wish the pain on my worst enemy.’
The number of fatalities in e-scooter accidents has tripled in the past year and the number of accidents has increased by 38 percent from 978 to 1,349
Reported casualties in e-scooter collisions skyrocketed in UK in 2021, latest year on record
The most common age of the person involved in an e-scooter collision, not counting the rider, was between 50 and 59 years old
The graph shows the number of reported e-scooter user casualties, by age and gender in the UK in 2021. There are more male than female e-scooter user casualties, particularly among those aged 10-39
Data from the Department for Transport shows the number of casualties in e-scooter collisions by time of day, in 2020 and 2021. The trend is the same for both years, an increasing trend starting at 6am and ending at 4pm with a dip at 10 a.m., followed by a downtrend from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
He said he would not go on scooters again and hoped they would be banned, not just restricted.
The number of deaths from e-scooter accidents has tripled in the past year alone.
Between June 2021 and 2022, there were 1,349 e-scooter accidents, compared to 978 accidents the year before, an increase of 38 percent.
Of those, only 346 involved just a single e-scooter and no other vehicles, compared to 200 the year before.
More than 1,000 e-scooter users were injured in the accidents, compared to 811 in the year ending June 2021.
There were 12 deaths in e-scooter collisions (11 of which were e-scooter riders), compared to four in the year ending June 2021.
The government estimated there were 429 people seriously injured and 996 slightly injured in e-scooter collisions, compared to 288 and 741 in the year ending June 2021.
In 2019, Channel 4 and YouTube star Emily Hartridge was killed in what was believed to be Britain’s first fatal accident involving an electric scooter.
The 35-year-old was involved in a hit-and-run with a lorry while riding an e-scooter near her home in Battersea, south London.
Jonathan White from the National Accident Helpline said: ‘E-scooters are an increasingly important part of the UK transport portfolio.
Channel 4 and YouTube star Emily Hartridge (pictured) was killed in what is believed to be Britain’s first fatal electric scooter accident
Ms Hartridge was killed after the e-scooter she was riding was involved in a collision with a lorry in Battersea, southwest London at around 8.30am on 12 July 2019. In the photo: the place of the crash
The accident happened at the Queen’s Circus roundabout, pictured on the day of the accident, which was also home to other fatal incidents involving lorries and vulnerable road users
The 35-year-old was involved in a hit-and-run with a lorry while riding an e-scooter near her home in South London’s Battersea
‘It is a good, cheap form of transport that has major environmental benefits. However, the reality is that they can be dangerous.
Not only is the lack of regulation surrounding private e-scooters a concern, but the quiet nature of the vehicles makes pedestrians crossing the road very vulnerable to accidents.
He said the survey of 2,000 Britons found that licenses and insurance were ‘key to rebuilding confidence’.
Mr White added: ‘With growing concerns about e-scooter safety in the UK, it is vital that people know the law and understand if they are eligible to make a clam if there is one accident happens or if it is not their fault.
“Education is essential and the Department for Transport needs to make it clear to the public that it is illegal to use a private e-scooter on public roads and in almost all public places in the UK, and that they can face fines and penalties incur if caught.
The Ministry of Transport should also take action against retailers who fail to properly inform customers about the risks and regulations surrounding the use of private e-scooters.
“They must be willing to cooperate with the police to take enforcement action against illegal and unsafe use of private e-scooters.”
Currently, the law says e-scooters can only be used on private property unless they are rented out as part of a government-backed trial.
It is illegal to use them on public roads, sidewalks, bike paths and pedestrian areas unless they are used as part of one of those trials.
Anyone who rents a scooter in one of those tests must also be in possession of a valid full or provisional driver’s license.
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