Over the past few years, e-scooters have taken cities around the world by storm. They offer a convenient and eco-friendly mode of transport for short distances and they’re often far quicker than hopping on a bus or bike. However, as their popularity grows, so do concerns about safety and the potential risks they pose to riders and pedestrians alike.
The BBC recently reported on a young woman who sustained a catastrophic head injury after being involved in an e-scooter accident, and reports confirm that accidents involving e-scooters are on the rise which begs the question – is it time to introduce compulsory insurance for e-scooter users?
How many people use e-scooters?
According to a government report from 2022, “it is estimated that there are now 750,000 private e-scooters in use in the UK, with the majority being used illegally.” This doesn’t include the number of shared scooters you find in many cities across the country.
A recent report on shared e-scooter usage stated, “riders have now made approximately 30 million journeys since the UK’s shared e-scooter trials began in summer 2020.”
All evidence shows us that more and more people are using e-scooters and now the government have extended trials to May 2024 meaning that number will likely continue to rise. Currently, as stated on the government website, the rules around e-scooter insurance are all on the operator – “E-scooters must have motor insurance, but you do not need to arrange this as this will be provided by your e-scooter rental operator.” The website also states that helmets are advised but are not compulsory.
Calls for compulsory insurance
Following the increase in popularity and therefore a rise in accidents involving e-scooters, there have been calls for insurance and safety laws around e-scooter usage to be updated.
Currently, when rental e-scooters operated by registered providers are used on the road, they are covered by insurance against accidents in public areas, meaning if an individual is involved in an accident with an e-scooter, they can potentially make a claim.
However, if someone rides a privately owned e-scooter on a public road or any e-scooter (whether rented or privately owned) on a pavement, they are in violation of the law, making it much more challenging to pursue any sort of insurance claim.
A recent article by the Insurance Times reported that Broking trade association BIBA has called for a ‘basic level of compulsory public liability insurance to be applied to e-scooters’ and has also asked for ‘private e-scooters to be legalised in a responsible manner,’ which makes sense considering how many privately owned e-scooters are used on the roads and have the potential to be involved in accidents.
What are the challenges?
Although there is a strong case to be made for insurance laws to be updated, there are several issues that could arise for both insurers and riders.
- Financial Barrier: Introducing mandatory insurance would make e-scooter riding more expensive for the rider.
- Practical Implementation: Enforcing compulsory insurance across all e-scooter users would be a big undertaking, especially when considering tourists and occasional riders who may not be familiar with local insurance regulations.
- Insurance Fraud Concerns: There might be a risk of fraudulent insurance claims, which could increase costs for both insurance providers and users.
However, the pros of updating insurance laws far outweigh the challenges and include increased safety as riders may become more cautious, protection of vulnerable parties such as pedestrians, the ability to potentially obtain compensation following an accident, and better maintenance and upkeep of the vehicles themselves.
Will the rules be updated?
Possibly, but probably not any time soon. On May 17th 2023, a session was held with a number of MPs including the Minister of State in the Department for Transport discussing the future of e-scooter laws. It was stated that more data was needed before the Department for Transport (DFT) can propose any primary legislation on several matters like insurance alternatives, safety measures, weight restrictions, and helmet use.
The full session Is available to watch here but highlights include discussions around safety and helmet usage, risks to pedestrians as well as riders, and insurance on private and rental scooters.
So, despite safety and insurance concerns being a hot topic, we probably won’t see any changes in the law in the foreseeable future and while e-scooters make an efficient and, let’s face it, fun way to get around, it’s worth remembering the risks and being as vigilant and cautious as possible as a rider, and a pedestrian.
