E scooters can be dangerous
With the festive season approaching and Christmas lists eagerly being assembled, a word of caution for parents considering an E-scooter for their children.
Young people riding an e scooter can be dangerous for them and others. Police advice wearing helmets. Photo: Brett Sayles, pexels.com
Riding an E-Scooter comes with risks and responsibilities for which not every child or young person may be ready. We have had reports of irresponsible riding, including a youth doubling their friend on an E-scooter at speed downhill, with neither wearing helmets – a risky combination. Some E-scooters can reach speeds equal to or exceeding traditional (motorised) scooters. This means that younger children may not be able to react in time to avoid a crash, due to their speed simply outrunning their ability.
Deb Hann
E-Scooters should be ridden in a considerate manner; speeds should be kept low out of consideration for pedestrians, leaving a good distance between the scooter and other pavement users. People and cars on pavements and driveways can be unpredictable. For safety reasons, it is strongly recommended that all riders wear helmets (clipped up) to reduce the risk of injury.
In police catches this week, Cambridge police recently received two reports of indecent behaviour at lakeside reserves. With the assistance of local community, the alleged offender’s vehicle was reported to police when it returned to one of the locations later. Staff responded quickly and arrested the male without problem. He will be appearing in court. Such intervention is important to prevent escalation of offending.
Another male was seen by another member of the public in the process of attempting to steal a car in Leamington. Police arrived to find him continuing his actions. The person was found to be in breaching court bail conditions in addition to his attempted unlawful taking of the vehicle. He was arrested with Police opposing bail, appeared in court and was remanded in custody until his next hearing.
In Te Awamutu, staff terminated an investigation into multiple residential burglaries where outdoor and garden equipment were taken. A female was successfully arrested and faced five charges in court.
Te Awamutu has also had a spate of construction site burglaries reported. Builders’ tools, paint and construction materials were targeted. As always, we encourage tradies to secure their vehicles and tools whenever left on site. Mark your tools with an identifier (such as your driver’s licence number) and record details such as make, model and serial numbers. If storing equipment in a shipping container onsite, invest in high quality locks, install motion activated audible alarms inside the container and CCTV inside and out. If you do discover a theft, be sure to preserve the scene for forensic opportunities and report it to Police immediately. As indicated by the burglary arrest above, one offender is usually responsible for a series of offences.
Two people riding on an e scooter and without helmets can be dangerous. Photo: Brett Sayles, pexels.com
