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With Christmas just around the corner, the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership (SSRP) has some important advice for anyone thinking about buying an e-scooter as a present.

While it’s legal to buy and own an e-scooter, you can only legally ride a privately owned one on private land, with the landowner’s permission.

This means it is against the law to ride, or to allow your child to ride, an e-scooter anywhere on the roads, pavements, cycle tracks and parks, or to school. If a child is stopped by the Police, and they suspect a parent or carer has purchased the e-scooter for them and allowed its use on the highway, the parent may be investigated for causing or permitting a traffic offence.

Riding an e-scooter illegally can result in a £300 fine, penalty points, and in some cases prosecution. It is also likely that the e-scooter will be seized.

As well as the legal implications of using e-scooters, they also pose a significant fire safety risk due to the lithium-ion batteries that are used to power them. These can spread a fire rapidly if they ignite and explode.

For more information on e-scooters and the law, and the fire safety risks, visit: E-scooters and the law – Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership