Twelve people died in e-scooter crashes in Britain last year, it has been revealed.
Figures published by the Department for Transport show 11 riders and one pedestrian died in collisions involving the vehicles.
A further 1,446 were hurt in e-scooter crashes, including 1,106 riders, 233 pedestrians and 47 cyclists.
Fourteen of last year’s reported casualties were children aged under 10, while 387 were aged between 10 and 19.
Private e-scooters cannot be legally ridden on roads or pavements in the UK but have become a common sight, particularly in urban areas.
Trials of rental e-scooters on roads in dozens of towns and cities across England are ongoing.
Steve Gooding, direction of the RAC Foundation, said: “As the e-scooter trials rumble on these figures show that the vehicles are in frequent use – and apparently all-too frequent collisions – across the whole country. Real life is very quickly getting ahead of legislation.
“As ministers ponder the future of these devices, it is important councils are better funded to keep highway surfaces up to scratch so all road users – not least those on two wheels – don’t fall foul of the rash of potholes which remain far too common.”
A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: “Safety is at the heart of our e-scooter trials and privately-owned e-scooters remain illegal to use on the road.
“We are committed to protecting all road users and currently considering future plans.
“We’re investing more than £5 billion from 2020 to 2025 to help local authorities maintain local roads, with an extra £200 million announced at the Budget.
“This will help them fix millions of potholes a year and resurface roads up and down the country, making journeys smoother and safer for everyone.”
