Electric scooters and electric bikes are everywhere on UK roads and pavements. But the law around them is complicated — and many riders don’t fully understand their legal position, or what happens if they’re injured in an accident.
Escooter
The good news is that being involved in a grey area of the law doesn’t automatically mean you can’t claim compensation if someone else caused your accident.
Here’s what you need to know.
Electric Bikes (E-Bikes) — The Legal Position
In the UK, an electric bike is legal to ride on public roads without a licence, insurance, or registration — provided it meets certain conditions:
- The motor must not exceed 250 watts
- The motor must only assist when you’re pedalling (no throttle-only power above 6mph)
- The maximum assisted speed must be no more than 15.5mph
- The rider must be 14 or over
A bike that meets these rules is classed as an Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC) and is treated like a regular bicycle in law.
If your e-bike doesn’t meet these rules — for example it has a more powerful motor, a throttle, or can exceed 15.5mph under power — it is legally classified as a motor vehicle. Riding it without insurance, a licence, and registration is illegal.
Electric Scooters — The Legal Position
Private electric scooters are currently illegal to ride on public roads and pavements in the UK. The only legal e-scooters are those used in officially sanctioned rental trial schemes in certain cities.
This surprises many riders — but it’s the current legal reality.
Can I Still Claim If My E-Scooter or E-Bike Was Illegal?
This is the question most people want answered — and the honest answer is: possibly yes, and it’s always worth taking advice.
Here’s the key legal principle. If another road user — a car, van, lorry, or other vehicle — caused your accident through their own negligence, the fact that you were riding an illegal vehicle doesn’t automatically extinguish your right to claim. What matters is who caused the accident.
Consider this scenario: you’re riding an e-scooter and a car pulls out of a side road without looking, hitting you. You would have passed safely if the driver had been paying attention. The driver’s negligence caused the accident — not your choice of vehicle.
In these circumstances, a claim may well be possible, though your compensation could be reduced to reflect any contribution your own actions made to the accident or your injuries. This is known as contributory negligence.
The same principle applies in other situations too. A driver who is over the alcohol limit can still claim compensation if another driver caused the accident — because the accident would not have happened regardless of their own position. Your circumstances are considered in the round.
What Is Contributory Negligence?
Contributory negligence means that while someone else caused the accident, your own actions or circumstances contributed to it or made your injuries worse.
Examples in e-scooter and e-bike cases might include:
- Riding an unregistered or uninsured vehicle
- Not wearing a helmet
- Riding on a pavement where it isn’t permitted
- Exceeding safe speeds for the conditions
Where contributory negligence applies, a court may reduce your compensation by a percentage that reflects your share of responsibility. But a reduced award is very different from no award at all.
What Should I Do If I’m Injured?
Whether your vehicle was legal or not, the steps immediately after an accident are the same:
- Call 999 if you or anyone else is seriously injured
- Get the driver’s details — name, address, vehicle registration, insurance details
- Take photographs — the scene, your injuries, both vehicles, road markings
- Get witness details if anyone saw what happened
- See a GP or go to A&E as soon as possible — even if you feel okay
- Do not accept any offer of settlement at the scene
- Contact Orange Spokes Claims for a free, no-obligation assessment
Why You Should Always Take Advice
The law around e-scooters and e-bikes is evolving, and every case is different. The circumstances of your accident, the severity of your injuries, and the actions of the other party all affect whether you have a valid claim and what it might be worth.
Don’t assume you can’t claim just because your vehicle wasn’t fully legal. That assumption could cost you compensation you’re genuinely entitled to.
At Orange Spokes Claims, we’ll give you an honest assessment of your situation — with no obligation and no upfront cost.
Contact us today for a free conversation about your claim.
Orange Spokes Claims — specialist cycling accident compensation. No win, no fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I claim if I was riding an e-scooter on the pavement? Riding a private e-scooter on the pavement is illegal in the UK. However, if another road user caused your accident through their own negligence, you may still have a valid claim. Your compensation could be reduced to reflect your own position, but it’s always worth taking advice.
Is my electric bike legal in the UK? If your e-bike has a motor of 250 watts or less, only assists when pedalling, and has a maximum assisted speed of 15.5mph, it is legal and treated like a regular bicycle. More powerful bikes, or those with throttle-only modes above 6mph, are classified as motor vehicles and require insurance, registration and a licence.
What if I wasn’t wearing a helmet when I was injured? Not wearing a helmet may be taken into account as contributory negligence, potentially reducing your compensation — particularly if it can be shown that a helmet would have reduced your head injuries. It does not automatically prevent you from claiming.
Can I claim if the accident was partly my fault? Yes, in many cases. Where both parties share responsibility for an accident, compensation is calculated and then reduced to reflect your share of the blame. Partial fault is not the same as no claim.
What if the driver who hit me drove off? If you were hit by an unidentified driver who fled the scene, you may be able to claim through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB), which exists specifically to compensate victims of uninsured and untraced drivers. Time limits apply, so contact us as soon as possible.
Are rental e-scooters covered differently? Yes. Rental e-scooters used in official UK trial schemes are legal and the rental operator is required to hold insurance. If you’re injured riding a rental e-scooter, you have the same rights as any other road user.