Motorised scooters have long been one of the most popular forms of transport among the elderly and people with mobility issues. Unfortunately media stories regarding the dangers posed by these slow-moving vehicles are all too common.

In 2010 an Essex resident sustained serious injuries after accidentally driving his scooter into a pothole and being jolted forward into the road. The following year a scooter user accidentally drove into an unsuspecting elderly shopper, who is yet to fully recover from her injuries.

 It has been suggested that such accidents will keep happening until the scooter users are legally required to register for some form of on-road training. The Labour MP for Plymouth Davenport has also called for regular in-depth safety checks.

She said, “With an increasing ageing population, some action has to be taken to ensure that standards are maintained in terms of the safety of these vehicles and that some basic training is undertaken by all users.”

Any changes in the law are likely to be readily accepted by individuals who might have had to rely heavily upon friends and family if it hadn't been for their scooters. If the car world is anything to go by then training could even come with the incentive of a reduction in scooter insurance premiums.  

Labels: insurance, mobility, pothole, premiums, road, scooters, transport, vehicles