Figures for Norfolk e-scooter crashes revealed
Police have issued an e-scooter warning ahead of Christmas. - Credit: PA
The trial of e-scooter hire schemes in Norfolk has not led to a large increase in people being hurt in accidents, it has been revealed.
Government figures showed there were nine reported casualties in accidents involving e-scooters in the year to June 2021.
While that is three times the number of people being hurt in the previous year, it's lower than many similar counties, despite motorised scooter rental schemes taking place in Norwich and Great Yarmouth.
Norfolk police have seized e-scooters and issued traffic offence reports to riders flouting laws. - Credit: PA
However the Department for Transport figures, which are based on provisional data supplied by police forces, are likely to be an underestimate of the true number of accidents.
In April, Norfolk Constabulary said in a Freedom of Information request there had been 120 reports of incidents involving e-scooters in the previous 12-months, including a person using one to pull a trailer at 60mph and riders caught drink-driving.
Police said incidents involving e-scooters including a person using one to pull a trailer at 60mph and drink drive riders. - Credit: Policing Fenland
Nationally 931 people were hurt, 253 seriously, and three e-scooter riders killed in accidents across Britain in 2020.
More than two thirds of those injured were e-scooter riders. However concerns have been expressed over the risk to pedestrians.
Among those injured in Norfolk was Clare, who chose not to give her surname, who was walking in the Coslany Street area of Norwich in July when she was hit by an e-scooter.
Left bloodied with facial injuries, she said more action was needed to crack down on illegal scooter use.
Clare was left bruised and with a bleeding nose after being hit by an e-scooter. - Credit: Submitted
"I am so grateful as it could have been worse,” she said. “The thing that really shook me up was if that had been a child or a dog one tiny fraction further out they would have been dead.
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"He could not control it. I can see it killing someone. It's only a matter of time."
E-scooter trials are currently taking place in 50 cities and towns across the UK, with the government set to decide on their future use when it comes to an end in March 2022.
E-scooter trails are taking place in Norwich and Great Yarmouth. - Credit: KATE WOLSTENHOLME
Earlier this month Norfolk police issued a reminder of the laws surrounding electric scooters with the gadgets predicted to be popular Christmas presents.
Those hired through rental schemes are the only e-scooters permitted on streets. Privately owned motorised scooters are only legal for use on private land and cannot be ridden on roads, pavements or any other public space.
