'SILENT KILLING MACHINES'

E-scooters are ‘death traps’, Met boss blasts with drivers caught riding them drunk as crashes rise 700%

E-SCOOTERS have been branded "death traps" by a Met Police chief ahead of a huge rollout in London - as crashes rise 700 per cent.

From Monday, people will be able to rent the vehicles to travel around the capital at up to 12.5mph in a bid to make London greener.

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E-scooters have been branded 'death traps' ahead of a trial in London from MondayCredit: Getty - Contributor

But Simon Ovens, from the Metropolitan Police’s road and transport policing command, has warned that e-scooters are "absolute death traps".

He also says officers have seized around 800 e-scooters this year alone - around four a day.

Tory MP Lord Blencathra, a former Home Office minister, has also slammed the vehicles - branding them "silent killing machines".

E-scooters have been more visible on busy roads in recent years as they gain popularity among commuters and young people.

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But crashes have soared by around 700 per cent since 2018 when there were just four recorded e-scooter collisions.

In 2019, this rose to 32 but it is believed the true number could be much higher as riders using them in prohibited areas are unlikely to tell police they have had a collision.

Emily Hartridge died in an e-scooter collision in 2019Credit: Getty - Contributor

In 2019, TV presenter and YouTube star Emily Hartridge was the first person the UK to die in an e-scooter crash.

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And a mum-of-three is now calling for under-21s to be banned from using them after she suffered horror injuries by a hit-and-run rider.

Joanna Johnson, wife of Rugby Football League chairman Simon Johnson, suffered serious nerve damage after the crash in North London.

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