E-scooters have surged in popularity, but despite their legal and safety risks, new research shows that a high number of parents have bought the device for their children this Christmas. The motorised scooters can reach speeds of up to 30mph and they are known to cause serious injuries.
However, according to new research conducted by personal injury experts at Hodge Jones & Allen, many parents are seemingly unaware of the hazardous implications involved in their use, reports Wales Online. Parents who are thinking about gifting an e-scooter to their children this festive season are being urged to become familiar with the legal requirements that come with owning one.
They are also being asked to ensure their kids are wearing full safety gear before using the machine. Lisa Turan, Chief Executive of the Child Brain Injury Trust, highlighted the dangers of allowing children to use e-scooters, especially without sufficient safety equipment.
She warned: “I would urge parents to exercise caution if thinking about purchasing an e-scooter for their children. Even when used on private land, the danger of a fall at speeds of up to 30mph could lead to serious head injuries, especially when a helmet isn’t worn.
“Allowing a child to use these machines without a protective helmet is putting children at undue risk. The majority of accidents might not be serious, and for the most part, a trip to the hospital won’t be needed.
"For some families however, the incident is significant enough to warrant medical attention. In England, about 35,000 children each year sustain a traumatic brain injury, and the vast majority of these are considered ‘mild’. Head injuries that affect the brain can be categorised as mild, moderate, or severe, with most brain injuries falling under mild – moderate."
While the severity of these kinds of injuries can vary, they can still have lasting effects for children well into adulthood. Ms Turan explained: "After a brain injury, children can go on to have life changing difficulties with memory, fatigue, behaviour, sleep, and cognition, affecting education, work, and relationships, and can lead to the development of poor mental health if left unsupported."
The study of 2,000 UK parents found that one in four have bought their under 18 child an e-scooter, but not all parents are enforcing their children to use the recommended safety equipment while riding. Findings show that over a third or 38 per cent of parents don't force their child to wear a helmet while on on. While nearly half or 47 per cent of parents with a child under five are happy to see them ride without a helmet.
Despite private e-scooters currently being illegal to use anywhere except on private land in the UK, 85 per cent of parents in the study allow their children to ride their e-scooter in public areas - with three in four parents even allowing their children to use them on public roads.
The latest government data indicated in 2020 there were 484 casualties in accidents involving e-scooters, 384 of these were the e-scooter users themselves. Despite the high speeds e-scooters can achieve, only 15 per cent of parents stated they would stop their child using an e-scooter over 10mph.
Ms Turan concluded: "It is concerning that although wearing a safety helmet is a legal requirement for moped and motorcycle riders, it is not a legal requirement for e-scooter users, yet e-scooters fall under the same laws as other motor vehicles.
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