Tag: accidents

RoSPA: Make it an accident-free December to remember

  • RoSPA: with overall hospital admissions up across the board it’s more important than ever to prevent accidents and both reduce pressure on the NHS and ensure people’s Christmas isn’t ruined by spending hours in overcrowded A&Es.
  • RoSPA: Have fun and enjoy the festive period safely

Enjoy the festive season but make it a safe one too, that’s the message from accident prevention experts, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), ahead of the Christmas chaos.

NHS figures show that overall total hospital admissions for all causes were up last year[i], with over half a million emergency admissions – the equivalent to the population of Edinburgh requiring urgent treatment. 

Jim Oram, Public Health Project Officer at RoSPA advises reducing accident risk to avoid spending hours in overcrowded accident and emergency departments:  “It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement during the festive period, but having more people in the home can add to the risks.

“With some forward planning and awareness of potential hazards, your festive season can be safe and happy for everyone.”  

Here are RoSPA’s top tips to stay safe this festive season:   

  1. Reduce the risk of a fall

In the UK, we saw 7,229 patients admitted to hospital last December with hip fractures and that was up 20 per cent on the year before[1]. Keep yourself and loved ones safe by keeping the floor, stairs and walkways clear, and clean up any spillages as soon as you can. And if the weather takes an icy turn, grit the paths and walkways outside. 

  1. Only purchase gifts from reputable traders

When buying presents, opt for reputable retailers, especially when shopping online. If a trader does not have a high street presence in the UK, check online reviews before buying.  Online sellers should have a UK address listed on their website.

Look for the CE, UKCA, UKNI, and Lion marks on toys, and check for age-appropriateness and warnings.

Button batteries in toys should always be inside a lockable compartment, and any magnets used in toys should be secure to avoid ingestion.
 

  1. Prepare for young visitors

There are some fantastically fun novelty decorations out at this time of year, but it’s important to remember these are not toys and therefore do not have to comply with toy safety regulations.

If you have a young family or have children visiting, always be mindful of decorations they could put into their mouths. Some decorations are particularly risky, such as ones with unsecure button batteries, ones made from glass and those with magnets inside. It’s also worth having a check that cleaning products, vapes and medications are kept out of reach, and blind cords have the appropriate safety fixtures. 

  1. Think fire safety

Last year there were nearly 200,000 house fires in the UK alone[2], so taking fire safety seriously is key.

Use electrical candles over real flames, keep decorations and cards away from heat sources, replace old Christmas lights and try not to leave anything plugged in overnight. 

  1. Maximise kitchen safety

It’s a familiar scene – the chef cooking the roasties while helpers ferry plates from A to B, and children run around high on the festivities of the day. And while everyone should enjoy the atmosphere, it’s best to keep spirits high by avoiding accidents. Allow ample time to avoid accidents from rushing and where possible, keep non-helpers out of the kitchen.

Figures from the Hip Fracture Database indicate a peak in falls around December[3], so be sure to clean up spills and clutter promptly to reduce the risk of your family or friends falling over.

  1. Keep hot crockery and drinks out of reach

Burns are the fourth common form of trauma worldwide, after road traffic collisions, falls and interpersonal violence[4], with around half of those affected children. With a higher frequency of hot drinks, food, and cooked edibles around, be mindful to keep hot pans, plates and drinks out of reach. 

RoSPA: Have fun but stay safe this Bonfire Night

Fireworks are fun when enjoyed safely – that’s the message from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), as the nation prepares for bonfire night celebrations. 

RoSPA says that attending an organised display is the safest option, but with some people unable to get out and about and some local councils cancelling firework displays, there could be an uptick in people celebrating at home. And with every bonfire night witnessing serious injury cases, RoSPA recommends anyone hosting a display at home to read its firework safety advice.

Anyone planning on celebrating Bonfire Night should know:

  • It is illegal to set off fireworks in public places, including streets and parks.
  • It is illegal to buy, attempt to buy, give or in any way make a firework available to someone under the age of 18.
  • It is illegal to set fireworks off before 6pm and after 11pm. This extends to midnight on 5th November and 1am on Hogmanay, Chinese New Year and Diwali.
  • It’s safer to celebrate at an organised event if there’s one in your area, but if you’re planning a private display at home, make sure you know how to keep you and your loved ones safe.
  • Keep a safe distance.
  • Follow the Firework Code and read instructions before use.
  • Not all fireworks are suitable for private use, it depends on the size of your garden – so do your research before purchasing.

RoSPA’s 10 Point Firework Code: 

  1. Plan your firework display to make it safe and enjoyable, and check the time you can legally set off fireworks 
  2. In England, Scotland and Wales only buy fireworks which carry UKCA or CE marks. In the case of Northern Ireland look for the UKNI symbol along with the UKCA or CE mark. Keep your fireworks in a closed box, and use them one at a time 
  3. Read and follow the instructions on each firework using a torch if necessary 
  4. Light the firework at arm’s length with a taper and stand well back 
  5. Keep naked flames, including cigarettes, away from fireworks 
  6. Never return to a firework once it has been lit 
  7. Don’t put fireworks in pockets and never throw them 
  8. Direct any rocket fireworks well away from spectators 
  9. Never use paraffin or petrol on a bonfire 
  10. Make sure that the fire is out and surroundings are made safe before leaving. 

Phil Le Shirley, Public Safety Advisor at RoSPA, said: “Bonfire night can be a magical time for families and communities, and we believe the safest way to enjoy fireworks is by going to an organised display where there will be the appropriate safety protocols in place.

“However, we do recognise that not everyone can attend organised displays and may wish to have their own at home. We therefore advise those people to only purchase fireworks from licensed sellers, follow the manufacturers guidelines and dispose of them safely.

“It’s also important to remember that sparklers are classed as fireworks and therefore are illegal to be sold to anyone under the age of 18, and sparklers should not be given to children under the age of five.”

RoSPA: Stay safe and avoid hazardous costumes this Halloween

Halloween can be fun when you stay safe and avoid hazardous products, that’s the message from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) ahead of the October 31.

The warning comes after several Halloween costumes have been recalled over safety fears relating to serious chemical and fire risks[1] and flagged by consumer champions Which?.

When purchasing a costume, RoSPA advises:

Look for the appropriate safety marks

In England, Scotland and Wales only buy costumes or toys which carry UKCA or CE marks. In the case of Northern Ireland look for the UKNI symbol along with the UKCA or CE mark.

All parts of a Halloween costume, including wigs and face masks, should be flame-retardant in accordance with EN71 part 2 – the safety standard for flammability of toys. 

Additionally, items sold in the UK by a member of the British Retail Consortium (BRC) are likely to have been made to a higher standard of fire safety and labelled with the words ‘This garment has undergone additional safety testing for flammability.’

Beware when purchasing from unknown brands

Unknown brands or brands you can only find online may not meet the strict regulations around costume and toy safety. This could put you or your child at greater fire risk, or at risk from dangerous chemicals. Therefore, we always advise you only purchase products from known brands.

Keep away from naked flames

As with all clothing, Halloween and fancy-dress outfits should always be kept away from fire, lit candles and all other naked flames.  RoSPA advises not to have lit candles as part of Halloween celebrations, and consideration can be given to using battery-operated candles instead of real ones.

Be safe, be seen

Most Halloween costumes are dark, which can pose a risk to children when out and enjoying the festivities. If you can, provide them with a torch and add something reflective to their outfit so they can be seen by vehicles. For maximum safety, children should always be accompanied by an adult.

Phil Le Shirley, Public Safety Advisor at RoSPA, said: “Halloween can be an exciting time for children, and we want to ensure everyone can enjoy the time safely and without any accidents.

“That’s why when it comes to dressing up, we recommend checking a Halloween costume or toy for the appropriate safety marks such as a UKCA or CE mark in England, Scotland and Wales or the UKNI symbol with the UKCA or CE mark in Northern Ireland.

“We also recognise that the darker nights reduce visibility, so advise children out trick or treating carry a torch and piece of reflective clothing to ensure they remain seen and stay safe – and always keep away from naked flames, especially when visiting other people’s homes.”

RoSPA: E-bike battery fires are ‘ticking timebomb’

Following news that the fire in Cambridge that killed a mother and her children last Friday was likely caused by an e-bike battery, Nathan Davies, Head of Policy and Portfolio at RoSPA, said: “Fires from unregulated e-powered vehicle batteries are becoming commonplace and we are very concerned that we are sitting on a ticking timebomb of cases.

“It is only a matter of time until we see a battery failure cause a devastating large-scale fire in a block of flats, hotel or public space.

“Unfortunately, e-bike batteries are designed to be charged indoors, and mostly overnight. Critically, this is where the risk to life from a fire is the greatest.

“It doesn’t have to be this way. We have been using certified lithium-ion batteries safely for years, the technology is well understood and these can be manufactured to the correct standards.

“The problem lies in a series of failings in the supply of unregulated units, meaning products with poor construction can be supplied by internationally based sellers on third party platforms. Action needs to be taken to address this situation to prevent future deaths.

“We urge people to only buy from reputable sellers and to purchase electrical items from a known and trusted brand that complies with legislation. If you think your battery is faulty, damaged or you just aren’t sure, then we advise that you dispose of it at a waste centre, not in the bin.”

E-bike likely cause of Cambridge fire that killed mother and children – BBC News

RoSPA urges caution during cold snap

Drive with caution to protect your life and loved ones, says leading accident prevention charity the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents

  • The UK is bracing itself for a gust of wintery weather that could lead to spike in fatal accidents
  • Drive safely to prevent accidents and save lives, says RoSPA – here’s how.

Motorists across the country are urged to drive with caution to avoid accidents as a gust of wintery conditions is set to hit the area at the start of next week. A Met office yellow warning is in place for many parts of the UK, as we expect to see sleet, rain and snow.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), that has worked for more than 100 years to help people recognise and reduce their risk of accidents, at home, on the road, at work and in leisure, say that poor visibility, water-logged roads and slippery snow can all heighten the risk of a tragic car crash.

Advising on how to keep safe during the upcoming wintery snap, RoSPA says at this time of year, adapting our driving style is key.

Becky Guy, Road Safety Manager at RoSPA, said: “Adverse weather conditions and longer, darker evenings make winter a particularly hazardous time to drive, and as we expect to see next week, short bursts of extreme weather are not uncommon here in the UK. 

“These wintry conditions can decrease visibility, increase stopping distances and the risk of skidding, which can all increase the risk of being involved in a crash. If you can, avoid driving in such weather, and if you are expected to drive for work, do ask your employer about whether it has a winter driving policy.

“Things to check before you set off include that all of your lights are working and clean, your tyres are inflated correctly and have at least 3mm of tread, you have enough fuel or charge in the car for unforeseen events and a way of contacting someone in an emergency. Finally, if in doubt and you are able to, postpone your trip until conditions improve.”

Keeping safe in sleet, hail and snow

To help keep drivers safe, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has shared its top winter driving tips to help keep drivers and riders safe.

Before your journey

  • Plan your journey, checking the traffic news and allowing extra time
  • If it has been snowing, be sure to remove snow from the top of your car so that it does not slide down and obstruct your view when driving
  • Check fuel or charge levels before you set off to allow for unexpected delays
  • If you drive an automatic car, check the handbook to see if there’s a winter driving mode setting
  • Assess whether your journey is essential, and speak to your employer about whether they have a winter driving policy

Driving on winter roads

  • Pull off in second gear, going gently on the clutch to avoid wheel-spin
  • Leave plenty of room between you and other road users, applying your brakes gradually and in good time
  • When driving uphill, check the road is clear and try to avoid stopping part way up to prevent you from rolling backwards
  • When driving downhill, keep it slow and use a low gear
  • Remember that braking distance can increase up to double in wet weather and by 10 times in icy weather

Road Safety Week: Edinburgh has some of the worst roads in the UK 

This Road Safety Week it’s revealed Edinburgh has some of the worst roads in the UK 

This Road Safety Week, data from consumer law company, Slater and Gordon, highlights the most damaged roads in the UK.  

Slater and Gordon surveyed 1,444 road users across the UK and asked them to rate how damaged the roads were in their local area.  

Cardiff has been revealed as the city with the worst roads in the UK with 65.4% of people saying their roads are “bad” or “terrible” with Plymouth coming out as having the best roads in the UK. The full list of cities ranked on how many people described their roads as “bad” or “awful” is: 

·       Cardiff 65.4% 

·       Sheffield, 62.2% 

·       Bristol, 54.2% 

·       Glasgow, 52.2% 

·       Edinburgh, 50.9% 

·       Norwich, 50% 

·       Manchester, 49.6% 

·       Belfast, 47.9% 

·       Liverpool, 47.7% 

·       London, 47.3% 

·       Brighton, 47.1% 

·       Birmingham, 45.3% 

·       Nottingham, 43.2% 

·       Southampton, 42.6% 

·       Leeds, 39.3% 

·       Newcastle, 37.1% 

·       Plymouth, 30.3% 

In fact, only 3.6% of people in Edinburgh would describe the condition of their roads as “excellent”. 47% of people in the city said they felt more could be done to ensure that any damage to the road that isn’t immediately fixed is communicated to road users and 33% admit that they feel roads in Edinburgh are more dangerous due to problems being ignored by local authorities. 

35% of road users in Edinburgh have sustained damage to their car due to potholes whilst only 68% reported the damage so it wouldn’t happen to anyone else.  

Nicholas Hagi-Savva, senior associate at Slater and Gordon, said: “Even if you follow all the rules of the road, there may be external factors, such as ice or potholes which can both increase your chances of having a collision. This is of increasing importance as road conditions worsen approaching winter. 

“This Road Safety Week, we want to instil in people how important it is to protect not only themselves, but other and potentially more vulnerable road users. Accidents will, of course, always happen but by raising awareness of the data this Road Safety Week, we really hope that people are more aware of their surroundings and our roads are made as safe as possible.” 

For more information on Slater and Gordon, visit www.slatergordon.co.uk. 

STOP: Mum issues safety warning after toddler suffered 27% burns

A mum whose daughter fell into a scalding bath when she was just three-years-old has urged other parents to be aware of the dangers of burns.

Little Courtney, now seven, spent years battling back to full health after she suffered devastating burns to more than a quarter of her body.

The schoolgirl, from Kirkcaldy, had to undergo numerous painful procedures and physiotherapy at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) in Edinburgh following the accident.

Now on “Burns Awareness Day” (12th October), her mum, Chloe Abrahams, is warning other parents to be aware of potential burns hazards around the home.

Chloe said: “I would never have thought that tap water could burn so badly.

“The pain Courtney went through just from lifting her into a different position on the hospital bed still breaks my heart when I think about it. Seeing my daughter in that state was the worst thing I’ve ever been through.”

Courtney’s accident happened in 2018. She was reaching for a toy when she tumbled into a bath that was filling with scalding water.

Chloe said: “We heard horrendous screams and found that Courtney had fallen into a scalding hot bath. I quickly scooped her out of the bath, stripped her clothes off and wrapped her in a wet towel. She was covered in massive bulging blisters and we rushed her to hospital. But at this point, I didn’t realise how much damage had already been done.”

Courtney was immediately transferred to the high dependency unit in the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) where she was sent to theatre every few days to get her burns scrubbed and redressed to prevent any infections.

Her little thighs and feet received the worst damage as her socks and pants had held the scalding water close to her skin.

After being released from hospital, Courtney’s feet had to stay bandaged for over a month, meaning that she was struggling to walk for up to two months.

She received regular physiotherapy alongside numerous other appointments for over a year to aid her recovery and to help with the inevitable scarring.

Chloe added: “I honestly can’t thank all the amazing doctors and nurses at the RHCYP enough. Courtney is now seven and is doing great. She has lots of scars but she doesn’t let them define her.

“I would like other families to know that you can turn the water temperature down on your boiler. If we had known that – things might have been different for us.”

According to the Burns and Plastics Clinic at the RHCYP, burns are the most common household injury with over 7,000 children suffering serious burns or scalds in the UK in 2021.

As Halloween and bonfire night approaches Rosie Bainsfair, Burns & Plastics Nurse Specialist at the RHCYP, said: “Many of the children we see at the RHCYP in Edinburgh are injured in accidents around the house, involving very common things like hot drinks, irons or hair straighteners.

“If your child has a burn or scald, follow this simple ‘STOP’ first aid advice:

“Strip clothes, jewellery or nappies off (unless they are stuck to the skin).

“Turn on a cold tap or shower and run the burn under cool water for 20 minutes whilst keeping the child warm. Do not use ice.

“Organise medical assistance – attend A and E or dial 999.

“Protect the burn with cling film, provide painkillers and keep the child warm.”

To find out more about how you can prevent burns from happening at home, please visit the Royal Society For The Prevention Of Accidents website here. 

RoSPA launches groundbreaking ‘Falls Charity Appeal’ 

Fall prevention has been identified as the number one priority by the leading health and safety charity the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). And RoSPA is now calling on businesses, business leaders and the health and safety community to use the skills they have developed in fall prevention in workplaces, to educate their employees to help prevent falls in the home.

Shockingly, annual deaths due to falls, including falls on stairs, have nearly doubled in England from 3,667 deaths in 1990 to 7,274 in 2019. Falls cause untold misery and pain to thousands of people every year, from physical injuries and death, long-term health effects and disabilities, loss of mobility, loneliness, social isolation and loss of independence

. They also impact massively on society, costing the NHS and wider healthcare systems over £4billion every year. But RoSPA believes businesses and organisations can mobilise their people to help drive these numbers down.

The Falls Charity Appeal has two major aims. Firstly, RoSPA is urging organisations to deliver the charity’s free, twenty-minute Fall Fighter awareness sessions to their staff. These online sessions have been specifically designed to equip people with the knowledge and skills to recognise the potential risks and how to stop falls from happening.

Additionally, the sessions provide people with a better understanding of how to help limit the harm from a fall.

Secondly, RoSPA is asking for donations to be made to its appeal, which will fund the delivery of strength and balance programmes for people in later life, to enable them to lead active, independent lives for longer. Falls are the largest cause of accidental death among over-65s in the UK and these programmes have been shown to reduce the rate of falls by up to 30 per cent.

https://youtu.be/ZTDI8QmQXa4

Errol Taylor, RoSPA’s Chief Executive, said: “At RoSPA we know that businesses are experts in preventing falls in workplaces, but we want to translate these skills to tackle falls that are happening in homes, which are a forgotten killer.

“We believe that if every employee was made aware how falls can be prevented we could, together, achieve a huge reduction in the numbers of those killed and injured. This is why we have developed our innovative free Fall Fighter resource.

“By rolling-out our online sessions, businesses will be taking a leading role in addressing one of the biggest health and safety issues we face.

“There is so much that we can all do to stop falls from happening. A free Fall Fighter awareness session takes just twenty minutes to complete but could change the lives of loved ones forever.

“But we’re not stopping there, we want to deliver a programme of strength and balance programmes that will mean more people in later life can lead active, independent lives for longer. These programmes have been shown to reduce the rate of falls by a massive 30 per cent. And by making a donation we can start this incredibly important work.

“By joining together, we can be a powerful and positive force for good. I therefore encourage all businesses and organisations, no matter their size, to adopt and roll-out our Fall Fighter training and donate to our appeal – together we have the potential to save lives.”

In support of the Fall Fighter scheme, early adopter Sarah Riesner, Business Lead – Strategy, Risk & Governance, Severn and Trent, said: “We’re proud to adopt this free scheme, and encourage our 7,500 employees to become RoSPA Fall Fighters.”

And Barry Oliver, Group Executive for Health & Safety, from national house builder Berkeley Group, added: “The Fall Fighter scheme fits well with our strategic focus. Adding it to our own Learning Management System makes the roll-out simple.”

For more information on how you can take part, visit: www.rospa.com/falls-appeal

RoSPA study finds e-scooters five times safer than bicycles

  • New report by leading accident prevention charity, RoSPA, and safety-focused e-scooter operator Neuron Mobility, evaluates UK e-scooter incident rates in comparison to other forms of transport including bicycles and motorcycles
  • Data showed that e-scooter collision rates were significantly lower with only 0.66 per million miles travelled, in comparison bicycles were five times more likely to be involved in a collision and motorcycle collisions were nine times higher
  • The majority (94 percent) of e-scooter incidents reported took place in local authorities where there were no e-scooter rental schemes running.
  • Although private e-scooters are outlawed, over 50 towns and cities have been granted permission to run trials for shared e-scooters approved by the DfT, which are subject to a range of safety requirements including geofencing control and insurance

A new study into the safety of e-scooters, published by The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), has found that e-scooters are significantly less risky than many other forms of transport on Britain’s roads.

The report recorded an incident rate of 0.66 collisions for every million miles travelled on an e-scooter – five times lower than bicycles with 3.33 collisions per million miles travelled and nine times lower than the figure of 5.88 for motorcycles.

The study was carried out by the UK’s leading accident prevention charity RoSPA, with technical assistance from safety-focused e-scooter operator Neuron Mobility. It assessed the scale and nature of injury risk associated with e-scooters in comparison to other modes of transport. It covers data gathered by the Department for Transport (DfT) and provided by Neuron for the 2020 period.

With the numbers of e-scooters in the UK increasing sharply since 2020, both as part of the Government’s ongoing trials and often illegal use of private e-scooters, there is a pressing requirement for further research into how the safety of these devices shapes up against other vehicles.

In fact, of the incidents that did occur on e-scooters, figures showed that the overwhelming majority of them (94 per cent) took place in local authority areas that were not operating an e-scooter trial as opposed to areas with shared e-scooters available, further highlighting that so far, the UK’s shared e-scooter trials have proven to be remarkably safe.

Shared e-scooter schemes tend to feature a range of safety innovations and stricter rules and regulations when compared to privately owned e-scooters which are currently illegal for use on public land. For example, Neuron’s rental e-scooters, which have been approved by the DfT, are fitted with GPS and geofencing which controls where they can be ridden and parked and their speed in different areas.

With this technology, Neuron is able to set riding area boundaries, slow-zones, no-parking zones, and no-ride zones. Every trip is logged and all e-scooters have insurance, integrated safety helmets, identification plates, topple detection, and with daily safety checks and regular servicing, they are widely regarded as a safer option than private e-scooters.

Almost all incidents analysed as part of the study were confirmed to have taken place on the roads (94 per cent), mostly on unsegregated single carriageways. The vast majority involved a collision between an e-scooter and a larger powered vehicle like a car, truck or lorry, highlighting the need for improved infrastructure and protection for riders.

The data also shone light onto the types of riders involved and the time of day incidents were most likely to take place, with the majority of collisions happening during daylight hours, between 2pm and 7pm, with peaks at 3pm and 6pm. Men (77 per cent) were far more likely to be involved than women.

Based on these findings, the report makes a set of recommendations to improve the safety of e-scooters further, including:

  • Given the rate of crashes that take place on single carriageways, further investment in road design improvements, including segregated bike and e-scooter lanes, would be beneficial.
  • Safety standards should be applied to improve the visibility of e-scooters on the road, including those that relate to indication, lighting and braking.
  • Providing mandatory training on the Highway Code and the practical operation of e-scooters would be beneficial for all users.
  • Awareness and training on e-scooter behaviour for other road users, in particular car drivers, would be beneficial.
  • e-scooter users should be encouraged to wear helmets when riding

Nathan Davies, Executive Head of Policy and Portfolio at RoSPA said: “e-scooters are clearly set to be a long-term feature of our transport mix and it’s of pressing importance that we understand their impact on road safety and how they can be made safe for everyone to use.

“This report shows that e-scooters compare favourably to other kinds of vehicles and do not represent any greater safety risk to other road users and pedestrians. However, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to ensure they are integrated on our highways and make sure both e-scooter riders and cyclists are offered greater protections from motor vehicles, which were the source of the vast majority of incidents.

“RentaleE-scooter operators, like Neuron, taking part in the Department for Transport’s trial schemes have demonstrated a strong commitment to safety and rider education. However, we need to see these initiatives filter across to private sale models, where the majority of incidents occur, to ensure any wider rollout is done with safety as a priority.”

George Symes, UK Regional Manager at Neuron Mobility said: “As a relatively new mode of transport there is often a misperception that e-scooters present a greater risk than some other forms of transport, but the data shows this simply isn’t true.

“We welcome RoSPA’s report which shows that e-scooters – particularly rental e-scooters – compare very favourably to bikes and motorcycles when it comes to the number of incidents.

“Neuron’s number one focus is safety. We evaluate every incident that takes place in our cities to assess how we can reduce the risk of it happening again. Across the UK we have implemented a range of initiatives to make our operations safer, including an online safety course developed with RoSPA, regular ScootSafe events in city centres and universities and incentives for helmet use and safe parking.

“We know that with the right investment in technology, education and infrastructure, e-scooters can be made even safer and more accessible.“

Read the report here.

RoSPA-UK-eScooter-Report-Summary-v6-250422Download

Summer is just around the corner – get ahead and keep it fun not fatal

National charity and leader in lifesaving and lifeguarding training across the UK and Ireland, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), is urging people to get summer ready by brushing up on their water safety skills and knowledge. 

With over 400 people dying each year in the UK and Ireland from accidental drowning, it’s clear that it’s a topic that needs more attention. 

Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK said: “With June, July, and August proving to be the months with the most fatalities, it is vitally important that everyone has an understanding of water safety, especially during the summer months. 

“We have seen a rise in the number of drownings over the last few years, with peaks during the summer. In July 2021, there were 49 accidental drowning fatalities in the space of just two weeks in the UK, and we know that with the right water safety knowledge, accidental drownings are avoidable. 

“We want to ensure that everyone can enjoy their summer break and enjoy being in or around water but be safe in the knowledge that they, and their children, have the skills and understanding about water safety, which could potentially save a life.  Every life is worth saving.”

Drowning is not just a topic that needs attention for those who take part in water-based activities either, evidence shows that one in two people who accidentally drown never intended to enter the water and in 2020 evidence from the National Water Safety Forum showed that 45% of accidental drownings took place when people were taking part in everyday activities.

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has a range of free educational resources available on their website for children, young people and parents and are holding their annual Drowning Prevention Week campaign in June.

The campaign will take place between 18th-25th June and aims to equip everyone across the UK and Ireland with the skills and knowledge to make the right decisions about water safety. 

Lee Heard continued: “This year for Drowning Prevention Week we are aiming to educate more young people than ever about water safety and give children the skills to enjoy a lifetime of fun in the water. 

“We have a range of free educational resources available on the RLSS UK website, including lesson plans for schools and resources for parents. 

“In a recent survey, over 55% of parents said they would not be confident their child would know what to do if they fell into open water; this is something we want to change. 

“Drowning Prevention Week brings the focus of water safety to people’s minds, giving everyone the opportunity to be equipped with the appropriate skills and knowledge to be summer ready when it comes to being safe in and around water when the warmer weather is here.”

With many families opting for staycations and heading to the coastlines and waterways for holidays in recent times, having an understanding of what to do if you find yourself or someone else in trouble in the water is more important than ever. 

Lee Heard added: “If you or someone else finds themselves in difficulty in the water, it’s vital to remember the Water Safety Code:

whenever you are around water you should stop and think to assess your surroundings and look for any dangers;

stay together when around water and always go with family and friends;

in an emergency call 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue service when inland and the Coastguard if at the coast;

and finally float to live, if you fall in or become tired, stay calm, float on your back and call for help, or if you see someone in the water, throw something that floats to them and resist temptation to go in.”

Drowning Prevention Week takes place 18th – 25th June and free resources can be downloaded from www.rlss.org.uk.