Mobility scooter user killed after driving off promenade

A MOBILITY scooter user died after he fell asleep and drove off a seafront promenade, bringing into question the lack of a barrier.

John Gray suffered multiple rib fractures after driving off the ledge at Felixstowe beach in Suffolk, with a five foot drop on to the sand below.

This led to respiratory failure and his death on July 13 2022.

Suffolk’s senior coroner, Nigel Parsley, has warned similar falls could happen in the future should a barrier not be put in place.

In a prevention of future deaths report published this month, the coroner said “there was no barrier in place to prevent a fall” and that the height from which he fell was “approximately five feet”.

“The court was told that, at a number of locations, the height from the edge of the promenade to the sand was prone to change,” he said.

At “high-risk locations”, such as drops on to concrete, barriers have been installed and signage put up.

Drawing on evidence given by a mobility scooter supplier and engineer, the coroner added that “falling asleep on a mobility scooter was not uncommon, and happened more frequently than the general public might think.”

The coroner said: “I am therefore concerned that falls from the promenade on to the beach, in areas where there is no barrier, would occur again in similar circumstances, as the current

‘Falling asleep on a mobility scooter is not uncommon, and happened more than the public might think’ signage and markings provide no warning to an individual asleep on their mobility scooter.

“If this were to occur (as in this case) in an area where the height of drop from the edge of the promenade to the sand was greater than normally expected, I am concerned this would lead to future loss of life.”

An earlier inquest concluded that Mr Gray’s death was an accident.

East Suffolk council must respond to the report by March 15. The authority has been approached for comment.