Mobility scooter users are being forced into roads and exposed to hazards including potholes, loose gravel and uncovered drains because of vehicles obstructing pavements, according to an analysis of insurance claims.
The analysis, carried out by Surewise, reviewed 34 claims involving vehicles blocking or obstructing pavements. Cases included mobility scooter users being forced into the road, where they encountered dangerous surfaces and kerb edges, as well as incidents involving vehicle doors opening into their path or vehicles reversing and moving.
One of the most serious claims involved a mobility scooter user being struck by a car near a church footpath. An ambulance was called, and the rider spent 21 days in hospital and required 25 stitches.
The findings come as councils across England prepare to use new powers to tackle pavement parking, prompting calls for mobility scooter users and other affected groups to have a say in how local measures are implemented.
The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 provides a legal framework for regulations allowing local transport authorities to introduce area-wide pavement parking prohibitions, subject to exemptions and within civil enforcement areas. Separately, the Government has announced plans to enable councils with civil parking enforcement powers to tackle unnecessary pavement obstruction through secondary legislation.
Richard Hannan, director of Surewise, said: “These new powers are a real opportunity to tackle pavement parking in a way that makes a difference to the people most affected by it.
“We want mobility scooter users to have a voice in how councils approach this locally. If parked vehicles are leaving people unable to use the pavement safely, blocking the dropped kerbs they rely on or forcing them into the road, those experiences need to be heard.”
Personal experience highlights everyday challenges
The claims have been released as part of the Safer Mobility Campaign, supported by Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership. The campaign aims to improve safety and raise awareness of the challenges faced by mobility scooter users.
Those challenges became apparent to Karen Richards, a 49-year-old serving Warwickshire Police officer with 25 years of frontline experience, after an injury temporarily changed how she travelled.
A police response driver and dog handler, Karen suffered a complete rupture of her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) while on duty in February and underwent reconstructive surgery in April. Unable to walk independently following the operation, she borrowed a Class 3 mobility scooter to maintain some independence during her recovery.
She found that narrow and poorly maintained pavements, inaccessible or missing dropped kerbs and vehicles parked across footpaths made everyday journeys more difficult.
Each trip required additional planning, including checking whether pavements were wide enough, locating suitable dropped kerbs and working out how to navigate obstructions safely.
Karen said: “As an able-bodied and active person, I had never really thought about these issues before. It made me realise how difficult everyday journeys can be for people who rely on mobility scooters.”
Being forced onto the carriageway brought additional risks. Karen reported that some drivers sounded their horns at her, while others drove closely behind before slowing down or overtaking.
She added: “It has made me much more aware of the issues mobility scooter users face every day. It also highlighted the need for greater understanding from drivers about vulnerable road users and their right to use the road when necessary.”
Calls for drivers and councils to consider accessibility
Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart is supporting calls for drivers to consider carefully where and how they park, and the impact their decisions can have on people using pavements.
The charity’s research has previously highlighted the prevalence of pavement obstruction, and it has contributed evidence to Parliament on pavement parking and the balance between accessibility, safety and the practical needs of road users.
Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and standards at IAM RoadSmart, said: “While it’s understandable people may worry about parking their cars on narrow streets, pavements should be kept clear for pedestrians and at the very least there should be enough space for wheelchairs, mobility scooters or prams.
“By parking on the pavement, you are making life a lot more dangerous for some of the most vulnerable people, while simultaneously you could be damaging your vehicle.”
Surewise is urging mobility scooter users, disabled people and others affected by pavement obstruction to share examples with their local transport authority, and is calling on councils to seek their views when deciding how to use the new powers.
Research aims to identify hazards before collisions occur
The claims have also been released against a wider backdrop of casualties involving mobility scooters.
Analysis of Department for Transport road casualty data by Agilysis found that 11 people were killed and 343 injured in reported road collisions involving mobility scooters across Great Britain in 2025. The total of 354 casualties was the highest annual figure on record.
Professor Duncan Guest, a cognitive psychologist at Nottingham Trent University, led a two-year study examining how mobility scooter users perceive road hazards. The research, funded by The Road Safety Trust, focused on mobility scooter users’ experiences of road hazards.
Professor Guest is now working on an app, as part of a second project funded by The Road Safety Trust, that will enable mobility scooter users to record near misses and the circumstances surrounding them, helping researchers build a more detailed picture of the risks encountered during everyday journeys.
He said: “A collision is often the end of a much longer story. Mobility scooter users may encounter the same hazard repeatedly, change their route or narrowly avoid harm, without any of that appearing in casualty figures.
“Our research looks at road hazards from the perspective of people using mobility scooters. The app we’re developing will help record near misses and what led to them, giving us a clearer picture of the risks people face on everyday journeys.
“That evidence could help councils understand where pavement parking is creating problems before someone is hurt.”
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