A recent study found that the majority of e-scooter accidents requiring hospital treatment are not officially recorded in road accident figures. This suggests that the danger of e-scooter accidents is being underestimated.
The analysis revealed that only 9% of e-scooter-related injuries reported in 20 emergency departments over a two-month period were included in official accident statistics. Additionally, just over a quarter of the most serious injuries are accounted for in road accident casualty data.
The study, commissioned by the Parliamentary Advisory Committee for Transport Safety (Pacts), highlighted concerning trends in head, face, and spine injuries resulting from e-scooter accidents. The report warned that the increase in e-scooter use is surpassing the ability of police reporting systems to accurately record all injuries and collisions.
Margaret Winchcomb, Deputy Executive Director of Pact, emphasized the importance of consistent and robust methods for measuring risk to e-scooter riders and other road users.
The use of e-scooters is currently being trialled in multiple locations across England, despite being illegal on public roads. It is estimated that there are over 750,000 privately owned electric scooters in the country.
The study compared official road death and injury figures (known as Stats19) with hospital records from a two-month period in 2021. It found that only 8.6% of e-scooter-related incidents were included in Stats19 data.
Analysis of National Clinical Audit of Trauma in England and Wales data during the same period found 54 serious injuries related to electric scooters, compared to only 25.9% included in the Stats19 database.
The study also revealed that the system for recording road accidents (Stats19) does not capture a significant proportion of non-fatal casualties related to e-scooters. The Department for Transport (DfT) acknowledged the need for clear information to the public about reporting accidents to the police.
DfT analysis revealed that more than half of e-scooter-related traffic fatalities and injuries reported in the year ending June 2023 occurred outside the test zone. There were 1,269 crashes involving electric scooters during this period, resulting in 7 deaths and 390 serious injuries.
Nicholas Lies from road safety charity IAM Roadsmart called for urgent legislation on private electric scooters, including standards for equipment, speed limiters, and minimum rider competency requirements.
A DfT spokesperson assured that safety remains a top priority and that they are working closely with the police to enhance data on e-scooter accidents.
Source: www.theguardian.com
