Rise in popularity of electric scooters poses extra dangers around HGVs

The rise in use of electric scooters is leading to increasing numbers of accidents involving HGVs, with riders largely unaware of the number of blind spots on a lorry – according to digital platform SNAP.

It said truck drivers were facing new threats as the number of urban road users soars; two million e-scooters were driven on UK streets in 2022 and SNAP said they were becoming “prime candidates” for disappearing within a vehicle’s blind spot.

It cited a campaign by National Highways, which found 36% of respondents to a survey couldn’t say how many blind spots a lorry has.

SNAP said short-term hire e-scooters were available in 51 towns and cities throughout the UK and they were potentially jeopardising truck drivers’ routes across the country.

It said more awareness about blind spots within alternative road-using communities could prove crucial to driving down collisions.

Matthew Bellamy, SNAP MD, said: “Truck drivers are a lifeblood of the UK economy, and we need to make life as safe as possible for them. Extra mirrors and technology have helped, but other road users still unknowingly threaten HGV drivers by vanishing into their blind spots.”

Original Article – https://motortransport.co.uk/blog/2023/06/29/rise-in-popularity-of-electric-scooters-poses-extra-dangers-around-hgvs/