Scoot to Safety: Currys PC World's E-Scooter Safety Campaign Responds to Christmas Orders Uplift

2021 will be the ‘Year of the E-scooter’, with an uplift in popularity nationwide as one in ten Brits were gifted one this Christmas. Additionally, Currys PC World, the UK’s largest electrical retailer, reports a 230% increase in e-scooter orders over the festive period.

While private e-scooters can only currently be legally used on private land, they are flying off the shelves. Despite this rise in popularity, a fifth (18%) of the UK population admit that they are scared to ride an e-scooter. As e-scooter trials continue to roll out across the UK and the popularity increases, Currys PC World has partnered with e-scooter sage and radio DJ, Matt Edmondson, to create an entertaining electric scooter safety video to ensure anyone with a new e-scooter knows how, where and when to ride it.

A whopping 61% of Brits say that people who ride e-scooters are dangerous to others on the road, ride them too fast (49%) and do not wear protective gear (43%). Almost a quarter of those quizzed (23%) wish for clearer information on e-scooter health and safety, with nearly half (44%) unsure if riding on the pavement is allowed and 60% unsure of the legal speed limit.

In response to the findings above, the ‘E-scooting: Do’s & Don’ts’ video, filmed on location at a Currys PC World store in Staples Corner, London, aims to show how fun e-scooters can be when used correctly. Top tips include:

·    Only use a rental e-scooter within a local area hosting a trial. Please see more info on the government website.

·    Wear a helmet and make yourself as visible as possible.

·    Use the roads if your area is running an e-scooter trial but stick to the speed limits. In the UK, it’s 15.5mph.

·    Give everything extra-space! Don’t scoot through narrow gaps.

·    Know your battery life. Don’t let it run empty whilst you’re nowhere near a charging point.

 

·    Ever ride a privately owned e-scooter on UK private roads, cycle lanes or pavements

·    Ever double up! Scooters are only designed to carry one person.

·    Ride on pavements. It’s a danger to pedestrians, and illegal.

·    Be a hazard! Park safely and courteously.

·    Drink and scoot!

·    Carry anything that could hinder your ability to control the scooter safely.

As of January 2021, privately owned e-scooters can only be used on private land with the permission of the landowner. It is currently a criminal offence to ride a privately owned e-scooter on a UK public road, cycle lane or pavement. However, in the UK, the government is currently rolling out e-scooter trials in several cities nationwide including Cambridge, Liverpool, York; and are set to launch in London later this spring. In the trial areas, it is still illegal to use a privately owned e-scooter on a public road, but the public can instead hire an e-scooter to use legally within set boundaries. Although the trials are currently gradually rolling out, the public (12%) are calling out for the trials to come sooner, with a fifth (19%) thinking that the UK is lagging behind other countries such as France and Germany in regard to its e-scooter laws.

Head of brand, communications, and planning at Currys PC World, Corin Mills, said: “E-scooters were in a lot of stockings across the nation this year and we expect the demand for e-scooters to rise ever further as the public look for alternative and independent modes of transport, with a smaller carbon footprint to boot. Providing the trials this year are a success, we’re gearing up to help riders scoot responsibly when they are legal to use in public. We’ve created this engaging video to ensure that e-scooter owners, and those interested in trying one, know how to scoot safely. We’re delighted to have e-scooter fanatic Matt Edmondson onboard to help us get the nation scooting safely into the sunset!”

Matt Edmondson, radio DJ, added: “I have been an e-scooter fan for years, they’re a great way of getting some fresh air and are better for the environment. Hopefully, our safety video highlights how fun e-scooters can be when used considerately and in line with government guidance. Watch the video, go forth, and scoot safely!”

The Currys PC World e-scooter range, for use on private land only in the UK, starts from £277.00 and includes models from leading brands such as Xiaomi, CityBlitz, and Mi. Click here for more information and to browse the range of e-scooters available at Currys PC World. In line with government Covid-19 guidelines, customers can currently order online and have their tech delivered to their homes or take advantage of Order & Collect. For those that shop online, Currys PC World has brought its store colleague expertise to its customers whilst shopping through its ShopLive service which connects customers to a video chat with one of its tech experts, helping customers work out the right tech option for them.