New Motoring Laws for Mobility Scooters
After a series of accidents, the Department for Transport has drawn up plans to tighten the laws that govern the use of mobility vehicles. There are more than 330,000 electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters in use around the country and changes in the law would mean their drivers could face charges for dangerous driving, like other road users.
What’s more, owners of mobility scooters would also have to take driving tests and buy third-party motor insurance for their vehicles.
Although the vehicles are currently limited to 8mph on the road, they are still capable of causing horrendous damage and harm; an 84 year old was actually killed in Sunderland in an accident involving a mobility scooter! Although the changes in the law may raise this limit, they will also impose licensing laws and make insurance mandatory, hopefully protecting other pedestrians and road users from the dangers these vehicles can pose. The current law dictates that police can only take action against the driver of a mobility scooter if they are drunk-driving or using a mobile phone whilst driving. However, since they currently require no licence to drive the scooter, they cannot be banned – even for driving drunk!
Head of road safety at the AA, Andrew Howard, approves of the plans, but says he hopes we don’t end up in a situation whereby “people who are not eligible to drive a car for medical reasons are also denied the right to use one of these vehicles”.
February 11th, 2011 at 11:22 am
My 2 year old daughter was run over by a mobility scooter on 22.01.11. She was dragged under the wheels and hit with such force that a section fell off the scooter. The staff at A&E agreed that she had been incredibly lucky in only sustaining cuts and bruises and it could have been much worse. The police are only able to go and speak to the driver and cannot take legal action. The event traumatised both my child and myself and for me, this certainly doesn’t feel enough. I feel at a loss as to what to do, as it seems there is very little that I can do. The law clearly needs changing before more people are hurt or killed. I understand that the scooters provide great independence for many and do not want them to be banned, but legislation around these vehicles is clearly required. I feel so helpless, and like I can’t even protect my own child. We were walking along the footpath, she was holding my hand, and was run over from behind! The fact that nothing can be done, and this lady (who never actually apologised) can carry on driving both distresses and infuriates me in equal measure. I wonder how many more people have to go through what we have gone through before anything is done?
May 5th, 2011 at 2:38 pm
About time too!. Unfortunately – as this is dated 2010, little seems to have moved forward as far as I have been able to research.
Recently I was ploughed into by a mobility scooter and injured. Whe he stopped he was most irate with me telling me that he had shouted at me to move out of his way. The driver of the scooter would not provide any personal details, saying he wasn’t obliged to do so. In his attempt to make a quick get away he drove over my foot so adding more injuries to the orginal ones.