Philip Blake, the Island’s road-safety officer, said the decision comes ahead of a safety campaign by The Mobility Scooter Working Group – due to launch this October – aimed at increasing awareness among mobility scooter users. It is hoped the campaign will lead to a decrease in the number of users who are putting themselves and others at risk by driving dangerously.
The working group, which is partly funded by the government, includes representatives from the Infrastructure Department, the Road Safety Panel, Occupational Therapy, Shopmobility, Eyecan, Headway and the Deaf Board.
In recent years, a number of pedestrians have reported being struck by mobility scooter users in Jersey with some accidents involving blind or deaf Islanders who were not able to see or hear the mobility scooter approaching them.
Mobility scooters fall under two categories; Class 2 is suitable for pedestrian areas with a top speed of 4 mph, and Class 3, which can be used on roads with a top speed of 8 mph. Currently, restrictions on who is eligible to use a scooter in Jersey and UK differ. To apply for a Class 3 scooter in the UK, the user must be aged 14 or over and has to apply through the DVLA. In Jersey the only restriction applied is for the user to be disabled, Edward Trevor, of Shopmobility, confirmed.
Mr Blake said: ‘While mobility scooters driving dangerously is an issue, we do not feel it is serious enough yet to introduce legislation or mandatory tests and training, especially if the UK have chosen not to go down that route. However, if it was suggested, we would consider it.
‘Currently, what we want to offer is training to [mobility] scooter users while asking scooter retailers to sign up to an agreed code of conduct, which means they will have to be more aware of who they are selling scooters to.’
A States spokesperson confirmed that approximately 65 pedestrians and cyclists have been injured after collisions not involving a motor vehicle in the last five years – with mobility scooters blamed for some of them. They added: ‘The number of reported incidents involving scooters in Jersey is less than one a year. Our intention is to help all road users to be responsible through training and awareness campaigns such as Be Aware, Share, rather than by imposing restrictions and regulations.
‘We’re working with a range of partners to develop further guidance and support for mobility scooter users, which will be announced later this year.’
