POLICE are warning residents not to buy e-scooters.
Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership is asking the public not to buy an e-scooter because it is illegal to ride a privately owned e-scooter in public in the UK and it may be seized by police.
Last year, 24 e-scooters were seized by Warwickshire Police officers who, as well as having legal powers to seize e-scooters, can also prosecute riders.
Sgt Shaun Bridle said: “Once seized by officers, your e-scooter will be collected by our vehicle recovery team and you will be unlikely to get it back. With most e-scooters costing £500-£1000 this is a lot of money to lose.”
E-scooter riders can also face a £300 fine and six points on their licence for riding with no insurance.
While it may be possible to insure an e-scooter for theft and damage and use on private land, currently there are no insurance companies that will insure a privately owned e-scooter for use on the road or public place which is a legal requirement.
An appropriate licence is also needed so anyone under 16 will not be able to hold a licence. This is because e-scooters are classified as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs) so they are treated as motor vehicles and subject to the same legal requirements such as MOT, licensing, tax and insurance.
In the first ten months of 2021, accidents involving e-scooters resulted in nine deaths nationally.
Sgt Bridle added: “If you cause serious harm to another person whilst riding an e-scooter the incident will be investigated in the same way it would if you were riding a motorcycle or driving a car.
“This is not something we want to see happening in Warwickshire and whilst we are not currently aware of any serious injury collisions involving e-scooters, earlier this year, a girl was hit by an electric scooter as she walked to school in Nuneaton.
“She suffered minor injuries to her wrist and was left shaken following the collision that occurred as she was crossing Park Lane.
“The e-scooter rider left the scene, leaving the young girl in the middle of the road. Police are continuing to investigate the incident.”
While some parts of the country are taking part in Government trials for e-scooter hire with a view to making them legal to use on the roads, Warwickshire is not currently part of the trials so e-scooters cannot be hired.
It is legal for an electric scooter to be ridden on private property, such as at your home or in your garden.
