Mobility scooter crashes a danger

Crashes involving mobility scooters in Lincolnshire represent a serious danger, a road safety expert has warned.

Tthere were six serious and 14 slight injury collisions involving mobility scooters in Lincolnshire between April 1 last year and March 31, this year.

Last summer an 84-year-old grandmother died after being knocked down by a scooter in Sunderland.

Members of the House of Commons Transport Committee have even called for driving tests for riders.

Spokesman for Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership Brian Burns urged users to brush up on the Highway Code.

"Mobility scooter riders are extremely vulnerable when used on the road and don't have safety features to protect them in the same way other vehicles do," he said.

"I would urge users to take extreme care when travelling on a public road and to travel in the direction of traffic.

"Road signs and markings should be obeyed and where appropriate, conspicuous clothing should be worn and at night lights must be used."

The Department for Transports classes mobility scooters as invalid carriages.

Vehicle Class 2 includes powered chairs for pavement use only which have a top speed of 4mph.

Scooters which can be used on a road fall into the Class 3 category and have a top speed of 8mph.

They can also be used on footpaths at speeds not exceeding 4mph.

For more on the mobility scooter debate, see Tuesday's Echo.