Campaigners have called for mobility scooter users to be included in the Highway Code as new figures suggest fatalities involving the transport mode nearly doubled in 2023 compared to the previous year.
The Department for Transport (DfT) road casualty data has revealed that 16 mobility scooter users were killed and 80 were reported seriously injured in collisions in 2023, up from nine fatalities and 64 serious injuries in 2022.
Mobility scooter users were among the few road user groups to experience a notable rise in casualties in 2023, while most other groups saw either a decrease or no change at all.
Research by mobility scooter insurance intermediary, Surewise, has also highlighted that mobility scooter users are thought to be nearly three times more likely to be killed in a road collision than any other road user group.
Over the past decade, casualties involving mobility scooters have increased by an average of 20% annually.
In 2023,
- 74% of mobility scooter crashes involved one other vehicle
- in 79% of injury collisions, the mobility scooter user themselves was the victim
- 64% of mobility scooter user casualties were over the age of 55
- 80% of mobility scooter casualties occurred in urban areas.
Surewise said that further research suggests that in 2023, 23% of mobility scooter-related road deaths and injuries were caused by the driver or rider failing to look properly.
Other key contributory factors included careless or hurried behaviour (9%), failure to judge another road user’s speed (8%), loss of control (7%) and poor manoeuvres (6%).
In 2022, the Highway Code was updated to introduce a hierarchy of road users, which assigns greater responsibility to those who can cause the most harm. Despite their vulnerability, mobility scooter users remain absent from the hierarchy, leaving a critical gap in protections for these users.
Richard Hannan, director of Surewise, said: 'Mobility scooter users are among the most vulnerable people on our roads, yet their unique needs are often overlooked. The fact that their exclusion from the Highway Code persists while fatalities rise is simply unacceptable. Their safety and prioritisation must be reflected in road safety policies.'
Professor Duncan Guest, a cognitive psychology expert at Nottingham Trent University, led a two-year study into how mobility scooter users perceive road hazards.
He said: 'The significant rise in fatalities and serious injuries involving mobility scooter users underscores the urgent need for their inclusion in the Highway Code. These users face unique challenges navigating pavements and roads, often contending with inadequate infrastructure, poor driver awareness and a lack of clear guidance.
'By including mobility scooter users in the ‘Hierarchy of Road Users,’ we can ensure their vulnerabilities are recognised and that road safety measures are designed to protect them. Addressing this policy gap is essential to prevent further tragedies and support safer mobility for all.'
In response to concerns around mobility scooters, Surewise, which has insured over 130,000 mobility scooters, has launched a 'safer mobility’ campaign supported by numerous UK police forces, local authorities and Nottingham Trent University.
The campaign has targeted 'outdated terminology', which is used in legislation to describe mobility scooters as 'invalid carriages'.
Mr Hannan added: 'This archaic term not only fails to reflect the reality of modern mobility aids but also perpetuates confusion and misunderstanding about their proper use and rights on pavements and roads. Such language undermines efforts to raise awareness and improve safety for mobility scooter users.'
