A coroner has called on the Government to make helmets mandatory for e-scooter riders following the death of a Nottingham father-of-four last year.
Nottinghamshire assistant coroner Nathanael Hartley issued a prevention of future deaths report to the Department for Transport, warning that riders face deadly risks without protective headgear.
The urgent safety appeal comes after Daniel Isaacs, 41, suffered fatal injuries in an e-scooter accident in St Anns, Nottingham.
Mr Isaacs was riding a privately-owned e-scooter along Carlton Road on May 23, 2023, when he lost control of the vehicle.
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The incident occurred in the St Anns area of Nottingham, where Isaacs was dismounted from the scooter and struck the road surface.
Paramedics treated him at the scene before rushing him to Queens Medical Centre and despite medical intervention, Isaacs died from his injuries the following day.
An inquest held in December revealed that the father-of-four was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, which resulted in a serious head injury.
In his report published on Monday, Mr Hartley stated: "During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern. In my opinion, there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken.
"Due to the expectation of their use on the road, and their vulnerability, there is a risk of death to riders of electric scooters and bicycles not wearing protective headwear who are involved in collisions, even at lower speeds."
Mr Hartley emphasised his statutory duty to report these concerns, adding: "In my opinion, action should be taken to prevent future deaths."
Under current UK law, privately owned e-scooters cannot be legally used on roads or in public spaces, including parks, pavements, and shopping centres.
However, some towns and cities in England operate trial rental schemes for e-scooters. However, they are only available to riders aged 16 and over who hold a provisional driving licence.
The Department for Transport must respond to the coroner's report within 56 days.
Officials will need to either outline a timetable for action on the helmet requirements or explain why no action is proposed.
The response could mark a significant shift in e-scooter safety regulations as the Government considers the coroner's concerns about rider protection.
In 2022, there were 1,402 collisions involving electric scooters, a slight increase compared to the 1,352 collisions in 2021.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
In the same year, 12 people were killed in collisions involving e-scooters with 11 of these being the riders. The year prior, 10 people were killed.
The Department for Transport estimates that theere were 440 people seriously injured and 1,040 slightly injured in collisions, showing another jump in figures compared to 2021.
Find Out More...
Nottinghamshire assistant coroner Nathanael Hartley issued a prevention of future deaths report to the Department for Transport, warning that riders face deadly risks without protective headgear.
The urgent safety appeal comes after Daniel Isaacs, 41, suffered fatal injuries in an e-scooter accident in St Anns, Nottingham.
Mr Isaacs was riding a privately-owned e-scooter along Carlton Road on May 23, 2023, when he lost control of the vehicle.
Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
The incident occurred in the St Anns area of Nottingham, where Isaacs was dismounted from the scooter and struck the road surface.
Paramedics treated him at the scene before rushing him to Queens Medical Centre and despite medical intervention, Isaacs died from his injuries the following day.
An inquest held in December revealed that the father-of-four was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, which resulted in a serious head injury.
In his report published on Monday, Mr Hartley stated: "During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern. In my opinion, there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken.
"Due to the expectation of their use on the road, and their vulnerability, there is a risk of death to riders of electric scooters and bicycles not wearing protective headwear who are involved in collisions, even at lower speeds."
Mr Hartley emphasised his statutory duty to report these concerns, adding: "In my opinion, action should be taken to prevent future deaths."
Under current UK law, privately owned e-scooters cannot be legally used on roads or in public spaces, including parks, pavements, and shopping centres.
However, some towns and cities in England operate trial rental schemes for e-scooters. However, they are only available to riders aged 16 and over who hold a provisional driving licence.
The Department for Transport must respond to the coroner's report within 56 days.
Officials will need to either outline a timetable for action on the helmet requirements or explain why no action is proposed.
The response could mark a significant shift in e-scooter safety regulations as the Government considers the coroner's concerns about rider protection.
In 2022, there were 1,402 collisions involving electric scooters, a slight increase compared to the 1,352 collisions in 2021.
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In the same year, 12 people were killed in collisions involving e-scooters with 11 of these being the riders. The year prior, 10 people were killed.
The Department for Transport estimates that theere were 440 people seriously injured and 1,040 slightly injured in collisions, showing another jump in figures compared to 2021.
Find Out More...