New figures point to mobility scooter risk

Mobility scooter users are more than twice as likely to be killed in a crash than other road users, new data has revealed. Department for Transport (DfT) road casualty statistics show that in 2022, nine mobility scooter users were killed and 270 were injured in incidents on UK’s roads.

The new figures, released by insurance company Surewise, show that mobility scooter casualties have increased by an average of 20% every year for the last decade. The mobility scooter insurance company released the data ahead of the launch of their “Safer Mobility Campaign” which aims to highlight the risks users face when travelling near roads.

Despite their vulnerability on the roads, new mobility scooter drivers are not legally required to undergo any form of training before using their vehicle in a public place.

More than 250 motorised mobility scooter users took part in a study by Nottingham Trent University that found 62% of those questioned had not received “any form of training”, and of the 38% who had, most had received training around vehicle handling. The study found that few users received training about the hazards they would face, with only 8% attending training on an inside course or completing outdoor training or observation.