PFD report

Daniel Isaacs · Prevention of Future Deaths report

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Issued 24 Dec 2024•Nottinghamshire

Report record

Published report and response evidence

This page connects the concerns raised in this report with statements found in recipients’ published responses. A link shows a clear evidence connection; it does not assign responsibility.

View original report
Concerns
2

Raised in this report

Recipients
1

Named on the report

Responses found
1

Of 1 recipient

Stated actions
5

Described in responses

Recipients and published responses

Source document

Full report text

This is the full text from the original published report.

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Concerns and recipient responses

Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

Concerns raised2

  1. Lack of a requirement for electric scooter riders to wear helmets
    Part of recurring concern: Inadequate crash-helmet safety controls for road users
  2. Risk of death to electric scooter and bicycle riders not wearing protective headwear in collisions
    Part of recurring concern: Inadequate crash-helmet safety controls for road users
Responses linked to these concerns

Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.

Actions described in response An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.3

  1. Action

    Commission a second evaluation of e-scooter trials.

    Stated by Department for TransportStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 6 January 2025.
  2. Action

    Complete a comprehensive review of cycling and walking safety, including whether cycle helmets should be mandatory.

    Stated by Department for TransportStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 6 January 2025.
  3. Action

    Evaluate the impact of helmet provision and uptake among e-scooter users.

    Stated by Department for TransportStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 6 January 2025.

Respondent positions A position is what a recipient says about a concern when it does not describe a specific action.1

  1. Position

    Mandatory cycle helmets are not considered necessary because reduced cycling, health and environmental benefits would outweigh their safety benefits.

    Stated by Department for TransportNo action considered necessaryThe respondent said that no further action was needed.

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Lack of a requirement for electric scooter riders to wear helmets

Wider context from the report

“There is no requirement that riders of electric scooters wear helmets. Due to the expectation of their use on the road, and their vulnerability, there is a risk of death to riders of electric scooters and bicycles not wearing protective headwear who are involved in collisions, even at lower speeds. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

Yes — Inadequate crash-helmet safety controls for road users.

Open source report

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Risk of death to electric scooter and bicycle riders not wearing protective headwear in collisions

Wider context from the report

“There is no requirement that riders of electric scooters wear helmets. Due to the expectation of their use on the road, and their vulnerability, there is a risk of death to riders of electric scooters and bicycles not wearing protective headwear who are involved in collisions, even at lower speeds. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

Yes — Inadequate crash-helmet safety controls for road users.

Open source report

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Commission a second evaluation of e-scooter trials.

Verbatim wording from the response

“However, the purpose of the trials is to inform future regulations on e-scooters and no decisions on this have been made. I have just commissioned a second evaluation of the e-scooter trials, which will look at the impact of helmet provision and uptake amongst e-scooter users and I will ensure we consider a full range of evidence, including international comparisons and a public consultation, before any regulations on the use of e-scooters come into force.”

Source location

Response from Department for Transport
Page 1 · response
Published 6 January 2025

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Complete a comprehensive review of cycling and walking safety, including whether cycle helmets should be mandatory.

Verbatim wording from the response

“On the matter of helmets for cycles, the question is complex. The Government must carefully balance the safety benefits of mandating helmets against the potential disbenefits. The Department carefully looked at the case for making helmet wearing mandatory in a comprehensive Cycling and Walking Safety Review in 2018 (www.gov.uk/government/speeches/governments-response-to-the-cycling-walking-investment-strategy-safety-review).”

Source location

Response from Department for Transport
Page 1 · response
Published 6 January 2025

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Evaluate the impact of helmet provision and uptake among e-scooter users.

Verbatim wording from the response

“However, the purpose of the trials is to inform future regulations on e-scooters and no decisions on this have been made. I have just commissioned a second evaluation of the e-scooter trials, which will look at the impact of helmet provision and uptake amongst e-scooter users and I will ensure we consider a full range of evidence, including international comparisons and a public consultation, before any regulations on the use of e-scooters come into force.”

Source location

Response from Department for Transport
Page 1 · response
Published 6 January 2025

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Mandatory cycle helmets are not considered necessary because reduced cycling, health and environmental benefits would outweigh their safety benefits.

Verbatim wording from the response

“On the matter of helmets for cycles, the question is complex. The Government must carefully balance the safety benefits of mandating helmets against the potential disbenefits. The Department carefully looked at the case for making helmet wearing mandatory in a comprehensive Cycling and Walking Safety Review in 2018 (www.gov.uk/government/speeches/governments-response-to-the-cycling-walking-investment-strategy-safety-review).”

Source location

Response from Department for Transport
Page 1 · response
Published 6 January 2025

Open published response

Other statements in published responses

These actions and other statements could not be clearly connected to one concern in this report.

Recipient-stated actions An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.2

  1. 1

    Continue holistic road-safety consideration when developing future micromobility regulations.

    Stated by Department for TransportStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 6 January 2025.
  2. 2

    Consider international evidence and public consultation before introducing e-scooter regulations.

    Stated by Department for TransportStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 6 January 2025.

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Continue holistic road-safety consideration when developing future micromobility regulations.

Verbatim wording from the response

“However, as I future regulations on micromobility devices including e-scooters, I will continue to ensure we look holistically across the piece as road safety remains at the core of the Department’s work.”

Source location

Response from Department for Transport
Page 2 · response
Published 6 January 2025

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Consider international evidence and public consultation before introducing e-scooter regulations.

Verbatim wording from the response

“However, the purpose of the trials is to inform future regulations on e-scooters and no decisions on this have been made. I have just commissioned a second evaluation of the e-scooter trials, which will look at the impact of helmet provision and uptake amongst e-scooter users and I will ensure we consider a full range of evidence, including international comparisons and a public consultation, before any regulations on the use of e-scooters come into force.”

Source location

Response from Department for Transport
Page 1 · response
Published 6 January 2025

Open published response
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Information checked against the published report and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026