So, well done to all the individuals and agencies who combine with the driving public to make our roads safer.
This column though isn’t about the road toll, but it’s about vulnerable road users and our respective responsibilities.
Last week I was at a fully signalised intersection at Hospital Road.
The signal for the left turn changed and as I was moving off, a pedestrian walked in front of me. I gave a “What the?” shoulder shrug gesture, she returned it with a one finger salute.
A couple of weeks ago, my wife was walking with 10-year-old granddaughter on the footpath. Next thing: “Watch out little girl or I’ll run you over”, growled a speeding mobility scooter driver. Granddaughter was traumatised for hours after that.
The roads and footpaths are becoming more populated by vulnerable road users.
Last month saw horse riders throughout the country participate in a series of special rides as part of a government petition to recognise horse riders as vulnerable road users alongside pedestrians and cyclists, in transport legislation.
In a campaign called “Pass wide and slow”, there is a call for recognition of the need to reduce speed, with a minimum distance for passing a horse and rider alongside the road.
Horse riders themselves, know the dynamics of being unable to control half a tonne of mobile horseflesh, if spooked by inconsiderate drivers. But like all vulnerable road users there is a shared responsibility here. You don’t expect to see horse riders on an urban footpath.
That footpath is where there is a developing battleground with pedestrians in contest with mobility scooters, e-scooters, skateboards, Segways and even cyclists, when you take shared pathways into account.
The presence of mobility scooters have been around for a while. Mostly driven by older users or those with a mobility disability. Their main issue is their bulk, rather than speed, when confronting pedestrians. These are expected to drive on the footpath, or, if that isn’t available, as close to the roadside as possible.
E-scooters on the other hand are a more recent phenomenon, arriving in many cities in 2018.
There’s no doubt they have made moving around cities more pleasurable, energy efficient and convenient.
But they are five times more likely than cycling to cause serious injury.
Most injured are in the 20-29 year old age bracket and the injury numbers are trending upwards. Most injuries are to riders themselves and ACC paid out over $30M in claims between 2018 and 2022. The typical claim is around $3K, so that’s around 10,000 claims in that time
The crux of the safety issue is that e-scooters are allowed on footpaths in New Zealand.
That’s different from the rest of the world where they can only be ridden on cycleways or, in some cases, the road. In much of Europe, e-scooters are regulated and treated like a motor vehicle. Generally riders must wear helmets, the minimum age of riding is 16, passengers are banned and mobile phones can’t be used.
Rentable e-scooters in New Zealand local authorities, have GPS-enforced speed limits, restrictions on where they can be parked, and have other built in safety measures. But privately owned scooters aren’t monitored, and are capable of speeds up to 90km/h.
Clearly this territory is a relatively new one and a watchful eye needs to be kept on trends, with increased regulation if necessary.
But for now, our roads and roadsides are being populated by more and more vulnerable road users requiring us all to take it “slow and wide”.
