Today marks the 40th anniversary of the mandatory seatbelt law which was spearheaded by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)
Research shows that a quarter of people in vehicles who died in road accidents in 2021 were not wearing a seatbelt
The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill 2022 threatens vital lifesaving legislation and looks to sunset them before December 31 this year.
On the fortieth anniversary of mandatory seatbelt usage, a leading accident prevention charity has issued a rally cry to Government to save seatbelt laws from being lost or watered down as part of the the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill 2022.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), that spearheaded the campaign for mandatory seatbelt use over forty years ago, warns that thousands of lives are at risk if the Bill goes ahead.
The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill 2022 will see thousands of laws sunset by the end of this year, including lifesaving seatbelt legislation. Although seatbelt usage features in the Road Safety Act, the Bill is set to make critical information on who, where and when people should wear seatbelts unclear.
Statistics show that almost a quarter of people in a vehicle killed in a road collision in 2021 were not wearing a seatbelt. While the number of people killed on Britain’s roads has plateaued, the proportion of car occupants killed while not wearing a seatbelt has spiked sharply, reaching the highest level since records began.
Seatbelts made the news last month when Rishi Sunak was caught on video travelling in a moving vehicle while not wearing a seatbelt and was subsequently issued a fixed penalty notice.
Nathan Davies, Head of Policy at RoSPA, said: “Wearing a seatbelt is not just ‘common sense’. Making seatbelts a legal requirement changed behaviour, and drove up usage by 55 per cent almost immediately.
“But recent Department for Transport data shows us that compliance is the lowest it has ever been since the law was introduced, and that means that people still need laws which reinforce the importance for them and the other occupants of vehicles. By removing seatbelt laws, we expect usage to fall, and fatalities will then inevitably increase.
“Throwing vital seatbelt laws in the air at a time they are most needed will set the stage for thousands of the public being killed and injured on the road, leaving behind loved ones, friends and family. We must not throw away the progress made over last 40 years of mandatory seatbelt usage and urge the Government to tackle these vital laws with the time, respect and attention they deserve.”
The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill 2022 will have a second reading in the Lords on the 6 February.
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
RoSPA: Government must extend 2023 deadline for EU Law repeal to avoid life-saving laws falling over a cliff edge
The debate on the Retained EU Law Bill and trading standards featured at The Commons on Thursday
RoSPA calls to keep people safe from accidents and injury by ensuring there’s enough time to conduct a thorough review and consultation process to maintain the UK’s position as a beacon of safety
– Bill provides an ‘opportunity’ to pave the way for more effective legislation and regulations by assessing each law individually, over a greater time period – according to RoSPA
With Thursday’s adjournment debate on the Retained EU Law Bill and trading standards set to rage on, the Royal Society of the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has reiterated its calls for a delay to the proposed implementation of the Bill at the end of this year.
Under the Bill, the Government is committed to repealing or replacing over 4,000 pieces of law taken from the UK’s previous membership of the bloc by December 2023, including compulsory seatbelt usage, workplace safety legislation, toy safety regulations, the working time directive and more.
A growing list of organisations, politicians and peers have expressed concern over rushing through the Bill, saying there is not enough time to thoroughly assess, adapt or improve each law, and if essential laws are repealed on mass this year, without proper review and consultation, many lives will be lost as a result.
Errol Taylor, Chief Executive of RoSPA, says that if managed correctly, this Bill could offer an opportunity to arrive at a successful destination, but that cannot happen if the Government sticks by its current 2023 deadline, which represents a cliff edge over which will fall essential life-saving legislation.
“At RoSPA, we’re proud to say we’re world leaders in the safety field and work with UK Government to prevent accidents and the unnecessary loss of life. Consequently, the headlong rush to abolish regulations is alarming.
“While we agree that the revision and sanitation of standards could be a positive step, we need to ensure we do this sensibly and in consultation. The Bill offers a huge opportunity for health and safety professionals to lead the way in protecting and enhancing people’s lives, and we want to be at the forefront of that.
“Ultimately, the importance lies in the preservation of the aim and intention of legislation, whether that’s protecting children, drivers or the elderly – not in how we get there.”
Some of the key laws set to be abolished, include:
The 2011 Toys (Safety) Regulations – dictating how toys are marketed, to make clear if they might be choking hazards, contain toxic chemicals, or if there is a danger that parts may come loose
The 1993 Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts By Children in Front Seats) Regulations – setting out limited exceptions
The 2015 Construction (Design and Management) Regulations – to ensure proper oversight of building projects to mitigate “the risks involved”, ensure firms employ “the right people for the right job” and communicate dangers “effectively”
The 2012 Control of Asbestos Regulations – requiring all building owners to maintain accurate registers of where there is dangerous asbestos to avoid accidental exposure
2011 legislation “on the provision of food information to consumers” – which sets out “requirements for food and drink labelling”, to alert shoppers to potentially deadly allergens
The 1999 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations – specifying what actions an employer must take.
Sir Jonathan Jones, the former head of the Government Legal Department, said leaving a needlessly short space of time to review such a large amount of legislation, was a ‘terrible way to make law.’ [1]
This has been echoed by Chris Fox, the Liberal Democrat business spokesperson in the Lords[JA1][JB2][JB3] , as well as leading industry bodies like the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the Institute of Directors (IoD) and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, who say that the Bill will hinder economic growth2.
96 people lose their lives due to a water-related fatality each year in Scotland
Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy aims to reduce accidental drowning deaths by 50 per cent by 2026
The Drowning and Incident Review (DIR) has been created to ensure a comprehensive review of each suspected accidental water-related fatality with a view to prevent a future occurrence.
On average, 96 people lose their lives due to a water-related fatality each year in Scotland. For this reason, Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy aims to reduce accidental drowning deaths by 50 per cent by 2026, and in particular lessen the risk among the highest-risk populations, groups and communities.
Each year, however, there are a number of water-related fatalities where very little is known about the circumstances and factors.
In order to help reduce accidental drownings, it is essential to understand the context and circumstances that lead to an incident. To address this need, the Drowning and Incident Review (DIR) has been created for Scotland.
This innovative process is one of the world’s first and was created by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), in partnership with Water Safety Scotland (WSS).
DIR is a voluntary process that aims to ensure a comprehensive review of each suspected accidental water-related fatality. The principal aim of the process is to gather all relevant data and information in order to systematically review each incident with a view to prevent a future occurrence.
The benefits of DIR are anticipated at both local and national level in Scotland. DIR will provide insight into water-based risks by local area, ensuring that those best placed to mitigate these risks are involved in the process and kept informed. Nationally, the enhanced data capture is anticipated to lead to the development of better-informed national strategies to tackle the issue of drowning prevention.
DIR is still within its pilot phase, but recently the research evaluation has been published in BMJ Injury Prevention and was undertaken by Carlene McAvoy (RoSPA), Dr Jagnoor Jagnoor (George Institute for Global Health) and Dr Connie Hoe (John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health/Heidelberg University).
Some of the findings of the research include ensuring improved guidance for those involved in the DIR process, resourcing for future sustainability, robust processes for organisational involvement and the crucial need for political and legal support. SFRS and RoSPA are working to address these findings ahead of the anticipated DIR release date of Spring 2023.
Carlene McAvoy, Leisure Safety Manager of RoSPA and founder and secretariat of Water Safety Scotlandsaid, “The DIR process that we have created for Scotland is one of the first of its type in the world.
“The findings from the study have provided us with really useful insight into the views and perspectives of key partners. There are clear points for learning from the research and we will take these on board in order to ensure that DIR works for our partners as well as for its future sustainability.
The research also highlighted that DIR will address some vital gaps in drowning prevention efforts, in a consistent and standardised way. The hope is that DIR will be a tool that can be used by water safety partners in Scotland, to enable them to learn from incidents and mitigate the risk of future incidents. This supports our overarching aim to reduce accidental drownings by 50 per cent by 2026.”
James Sullivan, Watch Commander, SFRS National Water Safety Group, added, “DIR aims to provide a clear and consistent post incident process that is vital for gaining an understanding of the events and contributory factors that led to a person entering the water.
“This information will allow water safety partners to take meaningful measures that may reduce the likelihood of a similar event occurring and will also assist in national drowning prevention efforts.
“This research was vital to ensure that our partners had the opportunity to shape the process that can now be used to improve water safety in Scotland.”
DIR aims to release Spring 2023.
Water Safety Scotland was founded by RoSPA in 2014 and is a partnership organisation whose purpose is to influence, coordinate and lead the aims set out in Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy.
Weather projected to include rain, sleet, snow and fog
‘Troll from Trondheim’ may lead to difficult driving conditions
2021 saw 13 people killed, 356 seriously injured and 1,781 slightly injured due to winter weather
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents is issuing road safety advice ahead of the potential hazardous weather conditions forecasted for the coming days. With echoes of the Beast from the East, the ‘Troll from Trondheim’ may lead to difficult driving conditions.
In 2021, there were 13 people were killed, 356 seriously injured and 1,781 slightly injured in reported road accidents on Great Britain’s roads when there was snow or frost/ice on the road surface.
Becky Guy, Road Safety Manager, England at RoSPA, said: “The most important thing to remember about driving and riding safely in wintry weather is to be prepared. Make sure your vehicle is in good working condition and add enough time for a journey so you are less likely to rush to make up for any delays.
“In extreme conditions, only make a journey if it is absolutely necessary. Don’t drive or ride as normal on snow or ice, but reduce your speed to avoid the chance of skidding. Remember to increase stopping distances massively as you may need up to ten times the normal distance when braking on icy roads.
“Speed limits are the maximum for ideal conditions, so in difficult conditions, they are often too fast, especially on bends and corners.”
RoSPA’s tips for driving in extreme weather conditions can be found at its online Winter Safety Hub and include:
Check your lights are clean and working, and you may want to carry a blanket, a pair of boots, a shovel, a high-visibility jacket and a mobile phone (although don’t use it when you’re driving) in case you get stuck in the snow
If you’re on two wheels, ensure that you are wearing the appropriate winter riding gear
Clear your windows, visor and mirrors completely of snow and ice before you set off (make sure the heater is blowing warm air before setting off – it will keep your windscreen clear)
Keep the windscreen and windows clean and the washer bottle filled with screen wash to the correct concentration (which may be a stronger concentration during below-freezing temperatures)
Items to carry in the car include de-icing equipment (keep some in the house or garage too), a first aid kit (in good order) and a working torch
Avoid harsh braking and acceleration, or sharp steering, particularly on a bend as this could cause your vehicle to spin or skid. To brake on ice and snow without locking your wheels, get into a low gear earlier than normal, allow your speed to fall and use your brakes gently
If you’re riding a motorcycle, increase the distance to the vehicle in front, check your lights (including brake lights) regularly and use more engine braking and rear brake in wet or slippery conditions
Visibility will probably be reduced, so use dipped headlights.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents is deeply saddened by the tragic events at Babbs Mill Park, Kingshurst in Solihull, and extends its condolences to the families and communities impacted by the news.
RoSPA is urging people across Britain to be especially cautious around open waters during the current extreme weather conditions that Britain is facing.
With news of the Met Office’s current yellow weather warning, where temperatures are set to drop as low as -15 in parts of Britain, RoSPA is concerned that icy conditions could result in further harm.
David Walker, Head of Road and Leisure Safety, said: “With the current weather conditions as they are, it’s important that people are especially careful around open waters. If you encounter somebody who is in trouble on or near ice, it’s vital that you don’t go in too.
“Call the emergency services on 999. If you can, find an object like a pole or a life-ring that they can hold onto and help them stay afloat.”
Key ice safety advice
If someone falls through the ice:
Call the emergency services
Do not attempt to go out on to the ice yourself
Tell the person to stay still to maintain heat and energy
Try finding something which will extend your reach, such as a rope, pole or branch
Throw the object out and, once ensuring you are stable on the bank either by lying down or having someone hold on to you, pull them in
If you cannot find something to reach with, try finding an object that will float and push that out to them
Ensure that you keep off the ice at all times during the rescue, continue to reassure the casualty and keep them talking until help arrives
Once the person has been rescued, keep them warm and take them to hospital even if they appear to be unaffected
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.
The UK has so far seen a summer filled with heatwaves and extremely warm days. This has resulted in many people heading to the various waterways in an attempt to cool off, however, what may seem like a fun-filled day by the water has often turned to tragedy for many families.
Latest figures from The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) and The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), show that from June 2022 up until 16th August 2022, there have been 50 fatalities recorded where accidental drowning is suspected in the UK.
RLSS UK and RoSPA also announced that tragically the figure is likely to be much higher, but these incidents cannot be confirmed as suspected accidental drownings at this time due to ongoing investigations.
The UK saw 13 fatalities in June, 27 in July, and 10 in August (up until 16th August) and sadly there are reports of even more drownings every day, both here in the UK and with families holidaying abroad. With more warm weather predicted again this weekend RLSS UK says it is crucial that families understand that there are risks associated with the water.
Statistics from RLSS UK show that around two thirds of children who drown are cited as swimmers, with the charity stating that it is extremely important for people to recognise that their swimming abilities in a swimming pool are unlikely to transfer to the cold open water.
Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK said: “It is extremely sad and concerning that we are currently seeing such a high number of drownings occurring in the UK.
“We understand that people may want to take advantage of the warm weather and enjoy the various waterways that we are lucky to have here, but we would urge everyone to ensure they have the right knowledge around water safety and follow some simple safety tips if they are heading to the water.
“Many people underestimate the dangers surrounding open water from cold water shock, to potential obstacles under the surface, as well as strong currents.
If you and your family are planning on heading to the water, we would encourage you to follow some simple tips:
You first educate yourself and the risk of open water, understand how to self-rescue and to avoid danger
Find a lifeguarded swimming site
It’s colder than it looks so go in slowly rather than jumping straight in
Don’t go too far, always stay close to the edge or the shore
If you find yourself in a rip current resist the urge to fight against it as you will tire easily, swim with the current and call for help
Always bring a friend so if anything does go wrong, you have someone to help you.
Lee added: “We know that accidental drowning is avoidable; we do not want to see any more families experience a loss of a loved one in these awful circumstances, and following RLSS UK’s water safety advice will help to reduce the number of drownings and ensure everyone can enjoy water safely.”
If you do find yourself in difficulty in the water, the advice from RLSS UK is Float to Live, lie on your back, spread your arms and legs and call for help.
If you see someone else in the water the charity advises you not to enter the water to rescue, call 999 and encourage the person in the water to float on their back.
Visit www.rlss.org.uk for free summer water safety tips and advice.
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.”
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 RoSPAsaid: “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.“
