You're more likely to die on the roads on this type of vehicle - and West Midlands is blackspot

Alarming new figures have identified the West Midlands as Britain's mobility scooter crash death blackspot. In 2022, the most recent year for which data was available, nine mobility scooter users were killed across the UK - including two in the West Midlands.

A surge in serious accidents has prompted calls for mandatory driving test-style training for mobility scooter users. The figures showed 270 scooter drivers were injured across the country in 2022, with 27 casualties in the West Midlands.

Alarmingly, the figures showed that over the last decade, mobility scooter casualties increased by an average of 20 per cent, year-on-year. The data, released by Surewise, found mobility scooter riders were more than two-and-a-half times more likely to be killed in a road crash compared to other road users.

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Surewise, a leading mobility scooter insurance intermediary, has launched a ‘Safer Mobility’ Campaign to inform mobility scooter users about the risks they face when travelling on or near roads - and raise awareness of their vulnerability with all road users. New mobility scooter drivers are not legally required to undergo any form of training before using their vehicle in public.

Analysis of DfT data found there were 27 casualties and two deaths involving mobility scooter riders in the West Midlands during 2022. There were 19 incidents in Merseyside, the second-highest region.

Richard Hannan, Director at Surewise, said: "We were horrified to discover that mobility scooter drivers are more than two-and-a-half times more likely to be killed in a road crash than other road users. And sadly, the problem only seems to be getting worse. Worryingly, the casualty data shows a steady increase in casualties year-on-year, and our claims team takes regular calls from distressed customers who have been injured in collisions.

"Mobility scooter users are very vulnerable, particularly when travelling on the roads, and, unlike cars and other vehicles, the driver has little protection in the event of a crash. Our safer mobility campaign is dedicated to raising awareness, advocating for improved safety measures, and providing resources and support to enhance the safety of mobility scooter users on our roads."

Surewise has produced a free mobility scooter safety guide and is giving away a free sticker pack bundle to make mobility scooters more visible. The free guide and sticker pack can be requested here.