Making e-scooters part of new highway code rules would cause ‘greater risk’ and ‘confuse’ drivers, expert warns
INCLUDING e-scooters as part of the new highway code could cause a “greater risk” to drivers as they as do not fit into any current vehicle category.
The scooters, which can reach speeds of up to 50mph, are illegal but their popularity is only increasing.
They remain in a grey area with questions surrounding how they might fit into the road hierarchy, should they be legalised in the future.
Being too fast to be classified as vulnerable road users like bikes, they are do not fit into any obvious category.
Speaking to the Express, Petty Abrams, an Associate at Plexus Law, said: “The absence reflects the fact that, with the exception of the rental trials which are part of a tightly regulated Government-backed scheme, private e-scooters remain illegal for use on the road or the pavement.
“This illegality does not deter the thousands of e-scooter riders taking to the streets as their popularity continues to increase.
“Subject to the legalisation of e-scooters, where can we expect the e-scooter to sit within the new hierarchy of the Highway Code?”
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Petty explains that some rental suppliers of the scooters are given an automatic reduction to 8mph in “go slow” areas and capped at 12.5mph.
Electric bikes have to comply with regulations and are included in the highway code and are capped at 15.5mpm.
They even have to have MOTs, tax, and licenses like other roads vehicles.
Remaining illegal means the scooters do not have any of this regulation despite prolific use.
Further endangering riders, they don’t have rear red lights, number plates or the ability to signal.
SCOOTER DANGER
Angela Hanmore, a Partner at Plexus, explained how she thinks their categorisation should not be changed at this stage, to keep people safe.
She added: “Private e-scooters on the market are not subject to restriction and may reach speeds over 50mph.
“This places them out of kilter with other vulnerable road users such as cyclists as they may be travelling as fast as other motorised traffic.
“They pose a greater risk to other road users, particularly pedestrians given their relative ‘silence’ and manoeuvrability around the streetscape.
“Further research is needed so we build up a risk profile and look at the impact of factors such as the size of the wheels, rider position and braking capacity have on the likelihood of accidents and the risk of injury in the event of a collision.
She explained that more needs to be done to integrate e-scooters in a safe way that protects both drivers, riders, other more slow-speed vehicles and pedestrians.
“Despite the huge proliferation in their use, seeking to bring in amendments to the highway code to deal with e-scooters at this stage would be more likely to cause confusion in other road users in addition to difficulties for insurers and enforcement agencies alike,” she added.