The mobility scooter, intended as a safe and convenient solution for people with reduced mobility, turns out in practice to be the riskiest means of transport in the Netherlands.
For many elderly people with physical disabilities, the mobility scooter is a solution, a means to regain their freedom. But despite the advantages, there are increasing concerns about the safety of this vehicle. Recent figures show that the number of fatal accidents involving mobility scooters has doubled in the past seven years.
Veilig Verkeer Nederland (VVN) warns that the mobility scooter now bears the dubious honour of being the means of transport with the highest number of fatalities per user. The Foundation for Scientific Research into Road Safety (SWOV) is also sounding the alarm and states that the problem may only become greater due to the ageing population.
According to Dr. Ragnhild Davidse, head of the department 'Traffic Behaviour' at SWOV, the figures are alarming. Davidse coordinates research into the behaviour of road users and the influence of physical and mental condition on road safety. She emphasises that the ageing population can further worsen the situation.
“We see a clear pattern in the accidents that occur due to specific limitations in the design of mobility scooters and the infrastructure.”
Davidse, who has led the in-depth investigation into traffic accidents since 2008, has extensive experience with accidents involving vulnerable road users, including mobility scooter riders. The SWOV team has conducted detailed investigations into 35 mobility scooter accidents on public roads. The findings show that both the operation of the vehicle and the infrastructure play a crucial role in the occurrence of accidents.
startle response
The SWOV study divides mobility scooter accidents into four scenarios, based on the causes and circumstances of the accidents. The first scenario describes situations in which a mobility scooter rider unexpectedly squeezes the throttle when he wants to brake, which actually leads to acceleration instead of a safe stop. This can result in a serious fall or even an accident in which the mobility scooter ends up in the water. Davidse explains: “Many users, often experienced cyclists, instinctively squeeze the throttle when they are startled. But instead of braking, they shoot forward.” This illogical braking system appears to be a dangerous factor for many drivers who are used to a different type of control.
Another common scenario is the loss of control due to contact with obstacles or bumps in the road. In these situations, the scooter becomes unbalanced, often causing the driver to fall. A third type of accident involves scooter riders who avoid a collision during a sudden evasive manoeuvre, but fall out of the vehicle themselves. Finally, there is the scenario in which a scooter collides with crossing fast traffic at a crossing. In some cases, the scooter rider does not have priority, which increases the risk of serious collisions.
There are situations where a scooter rider unexpectedly reacts by squeezing the throttle when braking, which actually results in acceleration instead of a safe stop.
In order to reduce the number of serious and fatal accidents, SWOV proposes a series of measures that focus on both the design of the mobility scooter and adjustments to the infrastructure. For example, a braking system can be built in that allows users to brake actively, which can reduce the problem of accidentally accelerating in a startle reaction. SWOV also advocates wider cycle paths and adapted bends that meet the CROW guidelines, so that mobility scooter riders can manoeuvre safely. In addition, kerbs along cycle paths should be flattened to reduce the risk of tripping.
trustworthy consistency
Furthermore, SWOV states that the stability of mobility scooters should be improved by an adapted vehicle design. By making more stable models available and adding steering angle protection, unexpected swerves and loss of control in the event of obstacles could be prevented. Finally, the infrastructure would become safer by marking crossings for mobility scooters more clearly and making them more visible, while traffic lights could be controlled without conflict, attuned to the speed of mobility scooter riders.
The call for measures is becoming louder, especially now that the Dutch population is getting older and the demand for mobility scooters is increasing. Safe Traffic Netherlands en SWOV emphasize that a comprehensive package of adjustments is necessary to allow scooter riders to move safely on the road and prevent fatal accidents. Davidse concludes: “We must not only look at the vehicle itself, but also at the environment in which it moves. Only by tackling the problem from all sides can we really reduce the number of accidents.”
