E-Scooters: Are They a Good or Bad Thing? Survey Data
E-Scooters: Are They a Good or Bad Thing? Survey Data
Electric scooters, or e-scooters, have grown in popularity in recent years for their ease of use, portability and environmentally friendly qualities. However, the law regarding e-scooters can be easily misunderstood and there are concerns over safety. JMW Solicitors launched a survey to find out the public’s knowledge and opinions on e-scooters.
Here, we take you through the key trends identified from the survey of more than 1,000 people and provide all the data from the results.
One quarter of people have used an e-scooter
Results from the survey revealed that 25% of respondents have used an e-scooter, while 61% admitted they were open to riding one. Some 13% of people own an e-scooter - at the moment, privately-owned e-scooters can only be used on private land and are not allowed to be ridden in public.
Of those who own an e-scooter, 70% think that they can be used in public, which suggests that these owners may be breaking the law as only rental e-scooters can be used in public. From 1st August 2020, it became legal for rented e-scooters to be used in public with the Department for Transport publishing guidance that included:
- Banned use of e-scooters on pavements
- A speed limit of 15.5mph
- Recommendations to wear a helmet
Despite this guidance, 68% of e-scooter owners think the contraption can be used on pavements, while 12% admitted to not wearing a helmet.
Significant lack of knowledge around e-scooter law
Our survey highlighted a real lack of knowledge around the rules of using e-scooters, with more than half of respondents (52%) admitting to not knowing the related law. More than a quarter (29%) think that a privately-owned e-scooter can be used in public and 16% think e-scooters can be used on the pavement.
Furthermore, despite 65% of people thinking that e-scooters are safe, the majority (44%) don’t know enough to make a decision regarding e-scooters being made legal - 41% said that e-scooter usage should be made legal.
| Answer Choices | Percentage | Responses |
|---|---|---|
| Yes, I know the law | 19.44% | 216 |
| I think I know the laws | 28.17% | 313 |
| No, I don't know the rules | 52.39% | 582 |
More than half of people think e-scooter use should be licenced
The survey revealed that 56% of respondents think e-scooter use should require a licence, similar to driving. When asked to explain their answer, most responses were related to safety concerns:
- “I believe all cyclists and scooter users should pass a test, have insurance and be required to wear a helmet to be on the road.”
- “It would regulate their use and mean you can be fined for being unsafe on one.”
- “Due to the speed they can travel and the potential damage that could be caused in a collision.”
- “It’s a motorised form of transport, even if it is electrical, therefore, you should pass a test, get a licence and be insured, that way the rider may use their e-scooter more responsibly.”
Majority of survey respondents want e-scooter to be age restricted
The majority of participants (85%) expressed that e-scooter use should be age restricted, with 82% of respondents suggesting use should only be allowed for over 16s, while a quarter said use should be restricted until a person is over 18 years old.
Respondents also believed that riders should receive the same safety advice as cyclists (93%), with e-scooter users having to wear a helmet (88%) and high-visibility clothing (74%).
The full survey results
How safe do/would people feel riding an e-scooter in the following places?
| Answer Choices | Very Unsafe | Unsafe | Neither Safe nor Unsafe | Safe | Very Safe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pavement | 19.95% | 21.82% | 17.80% | 32.11% | 8.32% |
| On the road | 38.01% | 32.20% | 15.38% | 10.55% | 3.85% |
| In a bike lane on the road | 13.51% | 22.00% | 20.93% | 35.78% | 7.78% |
| In a bike lane separate from the road | 8.05% | 11.36% | 15.21% | 45.80% | 19.59% |
| Parks | 9.39% | 8.68% | 20.04% | 40.97% | 20.93% |
What reasons have incentivised/would incentivise you to use an e-scooter?
| Answer Choices | Percentage | Responses |
|---|---|---|
| To save time | 40.88% | 457 |
| To make my journey easier | 31.75% | 355 |
| For fun | 40.07% | 448 |
| To be considerate to the environment | 34.26% | 383 |
| To save money | 24.78% | 277 |
| To avoid congestion | 29.43% | 329 |
| To avoid having to find car parking | 26.48% | 296 |
| To avoid having to get public transport | 29.07% | 325 |
| To get to places not served by public transport | 27.46% | 307 |
| As back up to my usual mode of transport | 15.21% | 170 |
| Other (please specify) | 6.89% | 77 |
Can you use a privately-owned e-scooter in public?
| Answer Choices | Percentage | Responses |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 28.80% | 320 |
| I don't know | 38.61% | 429 |
| No | 32.58% | 362 |
Can you use an e-scooter on the pavement?
| Answer Choices | Percentage | Responses |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 16.47% | 183 |
| I don't know | 36.99% | 411 |
| No | 46.53% | 517 |
Do you think e-scooter usage should be made legal?
| Answer Choices | Percentage | Responses |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 41.49% | 461 |
| I don't know enough to make a decision | 44.10% | 490 |
| No | 14.40% | 160 |
Do you think e-scooters are safe?
| Answer Choices | Percentage | Responses |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 63.03% | 682 |
| No | 36.97% | 400 |
How safe would you feel as a pedestrian sharing the pavement with e-scooter users?
| Answer Choices | Percentage | Responses |
|---|---|---|
| Very Unsafe | 25.69%278 | |
| Unsafe | 32.62% | 353 |
| Neither Safe or Unsafe | 21.90% | 237 |
| Safe | 16.27% | 176 |
| Very Safe | 3.51% | 38 |
What age do you think people should be allowed to ride an e-scooter?
| Answer Choices | Percentage | Responses |
|---|---|---|
| Under 12 years old | 3.42% | 37 |
| 12 years old | 4.44% | 48 |
| 13 years old | 1.76% | 19 |
| 14 years old | 4.81% | 52 |
| 15 years old | 3.51% | 38 |
| 16 years old | 33.09% | 358 |
| 17 years old | 9.15% | 99 |
| 18 years old | 14.79% | 160 |
| Over 18 years old | 25.05% | 271 |
