This week isInjuryPrevention Week.
It’s organised by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, whosemembers are committed to campaigning for reform to improve the law for injured people. But,we would all prefer for people not to be injured needlessly in the first place.
The focus this year is on road safety for pedestrians with a particular focus on children.
It has been a strange time for all of us during the last few months and many areas are now seeing increased use ofe-scooters and e-bikes.
Trials are taking part in some areas of the country to see whether e-scooters will reduce motor traffic as many people avoidusing public transport during theCoronaviruspandemic.But there are rules in terms of theuse of e-scooters and many people seem unaware that it is onlyrentede-scooters which can be used on the roadin certain areas–their use is strictly prohibited on pavements.
Given that e-scooters can reach 15mph,it is advisable to wear a helmet andthey should only be ridden if the user hasa full or provisional driving licence.
I am concerned about the numberof people, and in particular young people,thatI’ve seen ridinge-scootersrecentlywithout helmets at high speeds and I worry about the injuries that they may sustain if they fall off, or if they are involved in a collision.
Additionally, vulnerablepedestrians,such as children, the elderly or individuals with a disability, arepotentiallyat even greater risk of injury given thate–scooters are quietand may not be heard until they are extremely close.Given that it isnot mandatory to have insurance, anyinjuries caused by e-scooters potentially leavethose injured in a situation where they may not be able to seek compensation for their injuries.
Researchconductedby the Public Health Department in Austin,Texas calculated that there were 20 injuriesfor every100,000 e–scooter trips with almost half of those injured sustaining head injuries.These statistics are alarming.
Then there are e-bikes.
Only last week Simon Cowell shared the news that he had suffered a spinal injury after falling off his e-bike. Cowell is reported to have undergone six hours of spinal surgery and is lucky not to have suffered paralysis.
With e–bikes travelling up to 50mphit is vitally important that the riders consider their own health and safety,as well as others,carefullybefore they ride. Simon Cowell hasadvisede-bike users to ‘read the manual’ before you ride and I would also encourage users to wear a helmet to protect themselves as much as possible.
If you, or a loved one, have suffered an injury and would like legal advice,please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
About the Author:
Cari Sowden-Taylor is a Partner with over 12 years post qualification experience of working with seriously injured people and bereaved families. She is accredited by the Law Society’s Personal Injury Panel and is a member of APIL (Association of Personal Injury Lawyers) as well as a fluent Welsh speaker.