So many E-scooter deaths..

[Newandveryconfused]

Aibu... To want to have E-scooter drivers pass maybe a theory test? They are meant to be illegal, but let's face it... They're everywhere. I see about 3-4 a day! Knowing the law of the road might be somewhat helpful. It 'might' prevent done of these fatal outcomes maybe.. I don't know. What do you think?

3 e-scooter deaths so far this year, approx 1000 caused by vehicle drivers.

This thread is just another example of car drivers refusing to accept responsibility for their own poor driving & wanting the roads for themselves, regardless of who they kill or pollute.

so if you test all escooter riders and put all that energy into it what would be the result? One less death per year

if you concentrate on finding a way to make drivers safer, the result might be saving up to 2000 lives per year

which do you think you should tackle first or as priority to save the most lives?

HaveYouHeardOfARoadAtlas
The people who are riding a proper e-bike are usually on the road, using a small motor to assist them in riding.

A motor on an e-bike switches off at 15/16mph so any speed above that has to come from the person pedalling. In many ways it's no different from a standard road bike. If someone needs motor assistance to get to 15mph they're unlikely to have the physical power to cycle much more than that speed. The people riding these are probably going to be average citizens who want a bit of mechanical assistance to keep fit and active, which is why they're not dying or being badly injured in the way that e-scooters, e-motorbikes etc are.

Nobody needs to be speeding around residential areas, footpaths, etc on e-scooters/e-motorbikes the way the chavs/neds/scrotes are. The injuries and deaths caused by these people are because the sort of person who wants to zip around on footpaths and be able to avoid the police quickly are the sort of people who will ride recklessly and don't care who they take out on the way.

Alexandra2001. Don’t forget to mention the 20000 life changing injuries caused by drivers each year

there is a piece in NYT about this (& e-bikes) at the moment.

one mother describes cradling her child’s head in ICU except there was no back of his head. Absolutely tragic.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/29/health/ebikes-safety-teens.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

I got overtaken in my car - a line of us we were at about 20mph going over the speedbumps past the school. No helmet, couldn't really see what was coming the other way as he was going past about 6 of us. Accident waiting to happen.

AgathaMystery

how is this any different to the carnage drivers cause on rds? People in such a state when other drivers get to them they throw up afterwards

Well no, but in that respect it's more similar to a car than an eBike, which won't do anything unless you're peddling.

The point I was making us that they are not the same as ebikes and shouldn't be classified the same. There's a fundamental difference.

They ARE for private land only
other than rental schemes in some towns they are illegal and nobody cares

personally I think they should be legalised but there should be some kind of licensing system. They have the potential to replace a lot of car journeys where I am. But as others have suggested you only see them being driven irresponsibly by young hooded men dressed in black

Parliamentary committee into transport safety have done a report on their safety and recommendations. It's up to the govt now to actually legislate or ban them entirely (my preference!)

https://www.pacts.org.uk/the-safety-of-private-e-scooters-in-the-uk-pacts-research/

Maybe a theory test. At least have the knowledge of road sign meanings. Riding the wrong way towards traffic on a one way maybe could be reduced. 🤷🏼‍♀️

You have the ones that make the main news, but in July now, In my area... We've had 2 die. The One lad is in the same year of school as my eldest daughter.

Very unlucky as there has only been 3 deaths this year in the whole of the UK... compared to approx 1000 deaths from cars etc.

I think you'd have a heart attack if you went to Mallorca, there we saw kids hurtling around on e scooters, at night, no lights, busy roads...

It's got to be more than 3. I've said in a previous post, 2 have died this month in my area.. They've not made the news.

No mode of transport is completely safe, but finding different ways to get around cities that doesn't include private cars is a good thing

No the figure is a Govt one, given to some commons committee, stats are stats & deaths, however they happen, are recorded.

Casualty data – fatalities
Since 2019, PACTS is aware of a total of thirty-four deaths involving e-scooters, one in 2019, three in 2020, thirteen in 2021, fourteen in 2022 and three in 2023 (to early July). A register is available here (latest edition 10 July 2023)

Even if these deaths you refer too happened in late July, that makes a total of 36 deaths in 4 years, a tragedy for those involved but nothing compared to the almost 8000 deaths and 100,000 serious injuries caused by cars.

Sense of perspective needed?

A teenager died locally to where I live a few weeks ago. Tragic loss of a young life.

So just on mumnets survey, that’s at least three.

Apparently, if you get caught dangerous driving on a scooter, you can get points on your
regular car licence.

It does say to "early" July

.... which i acknowledged, if you read my post properly? still 36 deaths over 4 years.....

Can you link the local press on these deaths that happened in your area? must be quite easy as very recent.

Did this one make the news at all?

I just think that, the deaths, accidents, life changing injuries "could potentially" reduce if knowledge was taught to the riders. Maybe have a dress code.. Ie helmet when used. It's just a case of... They are not going anywhere.. They are here to stay. More and more are being bought.
Let's try and get ahead of it now kinda suggestion.

Cars are the biggest killers by far. Of course there are people riding illegal scooters and high powered electric bikes. But, just as with cars being driven dangerously, that is all about our failure to enforce existing laws. We do not need new laws

One made the news... But I do not want necessarily "my" location given.

Ok then.....

I don’t see many motorbikes being ridden at speed through a pedestrianised area, along pavement, the wrong way down one way streets, with no lights on etc.

I do. There are hundreds of illegal e-bikes in my city, the ones which have been jailbroken to evade the maximum speed limit on an e-bike and look more like motorbikes than cycles. No lights, dark clothing, riding on pavements, on the road, in and out of traffic. Riders with hoods pulled down, bandana on face pulled up. And with a Just Eat or Deliveroo backpack on.