CareCo Sparks Eye‑Opening Campaign About Mobility Scooter Hazards
The Real Deal with Pavements and Roads
It turns out that mobility scooters aren’t just restricted to special paths. Depending on their class, they can cruise on sidewalks or all the way onto the main road. Class 2 scooters are street‑ready, while Class 3 ones can hit both road and pavement—though they’re capped at 8 mph on the road and 4 mph on the sidewalk.
How Rough the Ground Is, Really
The UK has an eye‑watering over one million potholes. On top of that, the Department for Transport estimates that 250 000‑300 000 scooters are tucked into our traffic lanes. In England alone, potholes are bleeding out roughly £14.4 billion every year—money that, frustratingly, doesn’t consider the extra danger to scooter riders.
The Numbers That Give You the Real Picture
- 80 users were seriously hurt in scooter‑related crashes in 2024 – a jump from 64 the year before.
- 79 % of those who got hurt in scooter collisions were the victims, not the drivers.
Why Potholes Are a Big Deal
Picture this: a scooter rolls straight into a pothole. The brake brakes (pun intended). The tyre might pop, the scooter shifts, and suddenly the rider is flipping out of control—an all‑too‑real risk for everyone on the road.
Pavement Hassles for Everyone
Blocked sidewalks mean that scooter passengers, parents with prams, and just any curious foot‑walker have to find a way around. Parking on the pavement is common, but it forces scooters to jump onto the street to get past, placing them in a hazardous spot. Some local councils even fine drivers for this with penalties up to £100.
CareCo’s Take
Will Harrison, founder of CareCo, sums it up: “Potholes are boss‑level danger for regular cars, but we’re not talking enough about the wilder risks for scooter users. They’re often the most vulnerable crew on our streets, and lousy road maintenance or careless drivers can push them into even stickier situations.” He adds that the company wants to bring the problems to the front of public conversation. By exposing the hidden hazards of potholes and blocked sidewalks, they hope to fight for safer journeys for everyone.
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