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Mobility scooter test considered

05 March 2010

A rise in the number of deaths and serious accidents involving mobility scooters has prompted the Government to consider making users take a "fitness to drive" test.

The proposals, which could affect up to 100,000 vehicles, may also see users have to take out insurance to offer financial protection to themselves and other road users.

The Government has launched a three-month consultation that will look at issues including weight limits, training, fitness to drive, insurance and registration, in a bid to reduce accidents, Transport Minister Sadiq Khan said.

In recent years there have been a number of deaths and serious injuries, often involving pensioners who have lost control of their vehicles.

Last month Rose Phillips, 69, died after her scooter apparently crashed into a river in Witham, Essex.

And in January, police in Norfolk announced they were offering road safety training following a spate of accidents in the county.

In a written ministerial statement, Mr Khan said: "The proposed changes are largely designed to make mobility vehicles safer when they are used on the footway and on the carriageway and to improve redress when, very occasionally, their use injures people.

"The main areas that the consultation addresses are the legal classification, design standards including the permitted unladen weight limits and safety features, possible reforms relating to vehicle users including better information provision, training and fitness to drive, insurance and the registration of mobility scooters."

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