On June 2nd, 2020, the life of 71-year-old Linda Davis was tragically cut short after a 14-year-old boy riding an electric scooter collided with her while she was walking along a pavement in Rainworth, Nottinghamshire. The boy, who cannot be named due to legal reasons, appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to one count of causing death by driving a vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence and another of causing death by driving a vehicle while uninsured.
The incident has sparked a debate over the safety of electric scooters, with concerns being raised since several incidents involving blind people being knocked over by them. Currently, the use of privately-owned e-scooters on pavements, footpaths, cycle tracks and cycle lanes on roads is illegal throughout the UK.
The government-backed Superpedestrian scheme in Nottingham has made 1,300 electric scooters available for hire, but riders must be aged at least 18 and hold at least a provisional driving licence.
Mrs Davis’s daughter will read out a statement in court during the defendant’s next hearing which is scheduled for March 8th. District Judge Leo Pyle warned the defendant to not be “tempted to use any of these machines” as all sentencing options were available to him.
