THE use of e-scooters on the UK's road has been described as being like the ‘wild west’.
E-scooters and e-bikes are now a common sight on our roads.
But in their wake there is a trail of heartbreak and destruction with deaths and serious injuries after serious crashes.
More than 200 crashes involving e-scooters or e-bikes in Essex have been recorded.
Startling new figures in a Freedom of Information request show there have been 234 road traffic collisions in the last five years.
Among the statistics are heartbreaking stories of loss and lives changed.
His devastated family described him as the "live wire in the family with the biggest heart."
Conor suffered serious injuries and, sadly, later died in hospital following the crash.
From July 2019 to July 2020 just four crashes were reported.
As the popularity of the scooters rose, so did the incidents with 46 in the next 12 months.
Between July 2021 to July 2022, there were 70 that resulted in an injury, and one incident resulted in a death.
It then rose again to 75 incidents in July 2022 to July 2023.
As Essex Police mounted a crackdown on illegal e-scooters the numbers of incidents fell to 34 between July 2023 and July 2024.
The electric forms of transport have been introduced across Essex over the last few years.
More than half of casualties from e-scooter accidents are found outside the zones where you are legally allowed to use them, according to government figures.
Injuries ranged from cuts and grazes to fractures and head traumas, a report from the Department for Transport said.
Most of the casualties were e-scooter users, but almost a third were other road users, mostly pedestrians.
Nicholas Lyes, Director of Policy and Standards at IAM RoadSmart, said: “Shockingly, more than half of all casualties involving e-scooter users are outside of trial areas, which demonstrates the ‘wild west’ nature of misuse that is happening on our roads and pavements.
"The Government needs to urgently bring forward legislation on private e-scooters which must include minimum type approval device standards, speed limiters and proposals for riders to have a minimum level of competency prior to using these devices on the road.”
Incidents in Essex include a woman who was left with serious injuries in a crash involving a car and an electric scooter in Colchester in June.
She was riding a legal Tier e-scooter when the crash happened.
In March a man was left in a life-threatening condition after a serious crash involving e-scooter in Marshfoot Road, in Grays.
An Essex Police spokesman has said it is taking a no-nonsense approach to policing them.
They said: “They are not a toy and we need people to understand the legal implications of using one on a road or pavement.
“Where there is use of privately owned e-scooters in public areas, or evidence of other offences, we will take appropriate enforcement action.
“This includes e-scooter seizures and riders being reported for driving offences.”
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