Latest news with #mobilityscooter
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Benidorm warning as tourists risk £425 fine in new crackdown
Experts have warned that UK tourists heading for Benidorm face a £425 (€500) fine in a new rule crackdown. Experts at Mobility Solutions Direct are warning Benidorm tourists using mobility scooters that they could be fined as local authorities begin to crack down on who can use them. Benidorm is one of the most popular destinations for Brits, with over 600,000 visitors in 2024. But an alert has been shared via Facebook that Benidorm police are checking that mobility scooter drivers are insured. This follows complaints made last year of UK tourists driving mobility scooters at 'nearly 30-40 miles an hour'. Lee Cartwright, mobility scooter specialist at Mobility Solutions Direct has outlined what mobility scooter drivers should do to avoid getting hit with a £425 fine. READ MORE: Turkey 'highly risky' alert as Foreign Office updates UK advice READ MORE: Spain summer weather forecast could spell bad news for holidays Lee said: 'Benidorm is beloved by UK tourists, drawing millions of British visitors annually. However, the resort is facing issues due to its popularity, particularly with the increasing complaints about mobility scooters. Problems arise from people renting them just for fun. The local council has expressed a desire for these scooters to be used responsibly and only for genuine needs.' Get insurance: 'With more people making injury claims after scooter-related accidents, having insurance can offer vital protection. If you're involved in an accident and found to be at fault, you could be held personally responsible for covering costs such as compensation, repairs, and medical bills. In places like Benidorm, for example, the rules have already changed. All scooter hire companies must now provide third-party liability insurance to cover damage to other vehicles, property, or public roads. Don't use a scooter if not needed: 'People over the age of 55 are permitted to use mobility scooters, or younger if they have mobility issues. Mobility scooters are designed for those with walking difficulties. If you can walk safely without one and you don't have a permit for one, it is best not to ride a mobility scooter to avoid a fine.' Respect the speed limit: 'Most mobility scooters are designed with a speed limit for safe travel. For those with mobility issues using scooters on pavements, the maximum speed is 4 mph, which is about the same as a walking pace. Class 3 mobility scooters, intended for road use, can go up to 8 mph. In other regions, tourists should not exceed 12 mph and are required to wear a helmet.' Scooters are for single use only: 'Mobility scooters are intended for use by a single person. It is not permitted to carry another person on your mobility scooter, as doing so could cause the vehicle to tip over, leading to potential injuries for both you and your passenger.' Don't use a scooter while drunk: 'A majority of those using a scooter without permission are young British people who are using the vehicle to go clubbing rather than pay for a taxi. But this results in reckless driving, such as weaving through traffic, driving too closely to others, and failing to be aware of their surroundings. Riding a scooter while intoxicated is both hazardous and against the law, similar to driving a car under the influence.' Follow mobility scooter regulations: 'When operating a class 3 scooter, it's essential to ensure it is equipped with two separate functioning brakes. The scooter should weigh no more than 150kg without any load, and up to 200kg when carrying essential user equipment like medical supplies. It should feature front and rear lights along with reflectors, directional indicators capable of functioning as hazard warning signals, an audible horn and a rearview mirror.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Woman on mobility scooter dies after crash with car
A mobility scooter rider has died following a crash with a car. The collision occurred in Flore Hill, Flore, at about 17:05 BST on Saturday, Northamptonshire Police said. It involved a grey Range Rover Evoque, which was travelling north east, and the mobility scooter, which was travelling in the opposite direction. An investigation into the accident has been launched after the woman in her 60s died at the scene. Officers from the force's serious collision investigation unit have appealed for anyone who saw the incident, or has dash-cam footage, to contact them. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Northamptonshire Police
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Mobility scooter rider dies after crash with Range Rover in Northamptonshire
A mobility scooter rider has died following a crash with a car. The collision occurred in Flore Hill, Flore, at about 17:05 BST on Saturday, Northamptonshire Police involved a grey Range Rover Evoque, which was travelling north east, and the mobility scooter, which was travelling in the opposite investigation into the accident has been launched after the woman in her 60s died at the scene. Officers from the force's serious collision investigation unit have appealed for anyone who saw the incident, or has dash-cam footage, to contact them. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
24-05-2025
- BBC News
Elderly man on mobility scooter seriously injured in Stroud crash
A man in his 80s has been left seriously injured following a crash while he was riding a mobility was taken to hospital after the collision in Stroud, Gloucestershire, with a Ford Fiesta, the driver of which was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driver, a woman in her 20s from Surrey, was also held on suspicion of driving while unfit, driving with no insurance and driving with no MOT. She has since been released under Police said the collision happened near a Lidl supermarket on Dudbridge Road at about 15:00 BST on Thursday. Officers said the man was taken to Southmead Hospital in Bristol and remained in a serious but stable who saw the incident or who might have CCTV or dashcam footage that could help the investigation is asked to contact Gloucestershire Police on 101.
CBC
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
Enclosed mobility scooters spark debate in small northern Ontario town, about where they can be driven
Social Sharing At a recent public meeting in the small northern Ontario town of Sturgeon Falls, debate erupted over enclosed mobility scooters and where they can legally be driven. One man said an Ontario Provincial Police officer warned him she should drive his mobility scooter on the road, instead of the sidewalk, even though the vehicle isn't licensed. In fact, the scooters, which look like tiny cars but are designed to be mobility devices, limited at maximum speeds of 30 kilometres per hour, should legally only be driven on sidewalks in Ontario or on the road shoulder, against incoming traffic. "It's still considered a pedestrian unless it's been somehow modified to change horsepower and speed capacity and that sort of thing," Howard Lightle, an associate lawyer with Orendorff and Associates in Sudbury, told CBC News. "It is not insured under an automobile policy typically." Cindy Penasse used to drive one around Sturgeon Falls and told CBC News she's angered people driving her enclosed mobility scooter on the sidewalk. "They had a bit of road rage because I was riding on the sidewalk where there were some people walking on the sidewalk," she said, referring to one particular incident. But if she drives the scooter on the road, that upsets people as well. "In their eyes it's a slower moving vehicle and they are annoyed by that," she said. WATCH| The CBC's Warren Schlote test drives an enclosed mobility scooter Test driving an enclosed mobility scooter 1 day ago Duration 3:08 Penasse said she sold her scotter and now just gets around using a cane and her father in North Bay has similarly traded it in for an electric wheelchair. She said more education is needed to inform people who need the scooters, and the general public, about what they are and how they should be used. "Most people, they don't have a disability, just think it's just a joyride," she said. "Like they don't understand the meaning of why a person purchases that." OPP Const. Rob Lewis gave a presentation at the Sturgeon Falls meeting to inform those present about the laws surrounding enclosed mobility scooters. "These vehicles are ahead of the laws," he said in an interview. "Basically, the MTO [Ministry of Transportation] has not caught up to how to regulate these vehicles." But during his presentation Lewis had a slideshow that talked about low-speed electric vehicles that can be driven on roads, but had a photo of an enclosed mobility scooter.
