More people and more people injured in e-scooter collisions in Bedfordshire
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More people were injured in e-scooter collisions in Bedfordshire last year, new figures show.
The RAC Foundation said the rise in e-scooter injuries across reveals "real life" frequent use of the vehicles is getting ahead of e-scooter trials and legislation.
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Hide AdDepartment for Transport figures show 28 casualties were recorded by Bedfordshire Police last year.
It was up from 16 in 2021 and a significant increase from four casualties two years prior.
Bedfordshire follows the overall trend across the country where there is an ever-rising number of e-scooter casualties. Last year there was a total of 1,458 casualties involving e-scooters – up slightly from 1,434 in 2021 and a leap from 484 in 2020.
Private e-scooters cannot be legally ridden on roads or pavements in the UK but have become a common sight, particularly in urban areas.
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Hide AdTrials of rental e-scooters on roads in dozens of towns and cities across England are ongoing.
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: "As the e-scooter trials rumble on these figures show that the vehicles are in frequent use – and apparently all-too frequent collisions – across the whole country. Real life is very quickly getting ahead of legislation."
He added: "As ministers ponder the future of these devices it is important councils are better funded to keep highway surfaces up to scratch so all road users – not least those on two wheels – don’t fall foul of the rash of potholes which remain far too common."
The statistics also show there were 12 deaths as a result of e-scooter collisions. Of them, 11 were e-scooter users and one was a pedestrian.
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Hide AdAdditionally, the figures reveal e-scooter users made up the majority of those severely or slightly injured with 1,106 hurt (76%), while 233 pedestrians were injured (16%).
The remainder were cyclists, or occupants of other motor vehicles.
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "Safety is at the heart of our e-scooter trials and privately-owned e-scooters remain illegal to use on the road."
They added the department is committed to protecting all road users and is investing £5 billion from 2020 to 2025 to help local authorities maintain local roads, with an extra £200 million announced in the Budget.
"This will help them fix millions of potholes a year and resurface roads up and down the country, making journeys smoother and safer for everyone," they said.