Last week the devastating news broke of Emily Hartridge's untimely death. The YouTuber had been travelling through London on an e-scooter when she collided with a lorry on a roundabout in Battersea and tragically lost her life. It has since emerged that the star had been gifted the scooter from her boyfriend Jacob Hazell as a birthday present just days before her death.
Jacob, who is also a YouTuber, took to Instagram this week to thank fans for their ongoing support in a tearful video. "I’ve had so many messages from those who care about my wellbeing for all those that care about my recovery," he said. "I’m fine. I just wanted to say thank you for all the nice message. Emily was the person who always encouraged me to talk about how I was feeling. I just wanted to put this video out as it seemed the easiest way to say thank you and let people know I’m ok."
The star, who describes himself as a 'recovered addict' on his Instagram profile, went on to reveal Emily's three sisters and parents had been regularly checking in on him and reiterated, "I wanted to let people know that I’m fine. I love you all and I love Emily and I really appreciate all of the support. So thank you."
Questions have been raised about the safety of the gadgets as a method of transportation following Emily's death. While it's currently illegal to travel on public roads and pavements in the UK, e e-scooter companies including Bird and Bolt are lobbying for them to be made legal. Nick Lloyd, head of road safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, admitted the legislation needed "careful consideration" and stressed the safety issue surrounding the method of transportation.
He explained, "The use of electric scooters is increasing, including on the roads and pavements where they are currently illegal, and so we would urge the Government to take a look at current legislation to ensure it is fit for purpose to maximise the safety of road users, as you would expect it to with any change in transport technology."