Six-year-old boy afraid to look at own reflection after being seriously injured in electric scooter crash
Jamie Smith's family say it took him six weeks to look in a mirror after the crash, because his own reflection frightened him, and he didn’t recognise his own face.
The six-year-old boy was left with a fractured skull, cuts and bruises, after a 17-year-old boy crashed into him on an electric scooter. The injuries were initially thought to be life threatening.
He was walking with his father in Elston Fields, Leicester, last August. The rider didn't stop and was later identified following an appeal by Jamie’s family and friends.
"It took him six weeks after the incident to even look in a mirror because his own reflection genuinely frightened him and he didn’t recognise his own face, which was heart-breaking to see.
Since the incident Jamie has had quite bad memory loss, nightmares and an irrational fear of the outside world. He over thinks everything in the worst possible scenario and has a constant fear regardless of where he is.
This one incident has put a huge wrecking ball in his life and it’s not just affected his face and body, it’s affected his trust, his friendships and almost every aspect of his life and it is heart-breaking to see.
A six-year-old boy shouldn’t have to live with what he is living with, the scars may have faded but to him and us it’s still very fresh in our minds. We are as a family just want to wrap him up in cotton wool and we’d never wish for this to happen to anyone, let alone a poor defenceless little boy. We are broken.”
- Jamie’s sister, Brooklyn Smith
What are electric scooter rules?
It is illegal to use a scooter in spaces that are set aside for use by pedestrians, cyclists, and horse-riders and anyone using them on a public road can be prosecuted.
Police in Leicestershire say that "electric scooters are dangerous vehicles in the wrong hands and are currently illegal to use both on the road and in public areas in Leicestershire”
Where are the trials happening?
The maximum speed for an e-scooter is 15.5mph and you must have the category Q entitlement on your driving licence.
You may use it on the road and in cycle lanes, but not on pavements.
The 17-year-old, who can’t be named for legal reasons, was charged with multiple offences including causing a serious injury by dangerous driving and failing to stop after a road traffic collision.
He pleaded guilty at Leicester Youth Court and will be sentenced on Monday 12 April.
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