‘My son made one silly mistake and paid with his life – this is my plea’
The mum of a teenager who paid the ultimate price after one mistake is pleading with the public to get behind her campaign.
It was in March this year when 14-year-old Jacob Calland made a split-second decision to go on the back of another boy’s e-scooter and it cost him his life.
The pair were riding the scooter on Timpson Road, heading through the junction at Southmoor Road, Wythenshawe, when it collided with a car and came to rest on a third vehicle. Neither of them were wearing a helmet or any other safety equipment.
Details of the incident were reported in the Manchester Evening News, with tributes pouring in for the ‘bright and loving’ 14-year-old who tragically died eight days after the horror e-scooter crash in Wythenshawe.
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In May Jacob’s mum Carly – who had warned her son about the dangers of e-scooters and refused to let him get one – took the brave decision to share a hard-hitting video about Jacob’s Journey in a bid to prevent other young people suffering the same fate.
Now the mum-of-two has launched a petition calling for a ban on e-scooters for under 18s and tougher regulation around their use.
She wants mandatory licences and insurance, as well as helmets and safety equipment, a ban on carrying passengers and stricter punishments for those breaching or allowing breaches of law relating to the scooters.
The petition, which has already amassed almost 6,000 signatures in the space of a fortnight, states: “We think there is insufficient regulation around the sale and use of e-scooters. We believe the law continues to be broken without sufficient punishment and more collisions. Currently, e-scooters can be sold to people of all ages, leaving open the possibility that they may be used by children.”
Carly, who lives in Wythenshawe, told the Manchester Evening News: “I’ve lost my son. I don’t want any other family to go through what I’m going through. I’m not saying ban e-scooters completely, I’m saying let’s put rules in place to make them safer.
“The police aren’t properly enforcing the current law so people are doing what they want.”
The 36-year-old said she’s been ‘overwhelmed’ with the support she’s had so far.
“We hit over 5,000 signatures in a week and a half,” she said. “I’ve had so many messages of support, it’s clearly an issue that a lot of people want resolved.”
The video Carly shared details what happened in the immediate aftermath of the collision, including screenshots from social media of people questioning what had happened, and a phone call to Carly telling her Jacob had been in an accident.
The teenager suffered a serious head injury and was given urgent life saving treatment by paramedics at the scene, before being rushed to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
His condition deteriorated and he tragically died on March 27.
GMP says it takes action to tackle and reduce anti-social behaviour on motorbikes, e-bikes and quadbikes and will be using its platforms to help Carly spread her message around road safety, the dangers of e-scooters and Jacob’s Journey in the coming weeks.
An operation launched 12 months ago has seen a number of arrests made and bikes seized from all over Greater Manchester.
Officers dealt with more than 500 incidents during the first four months of the operation, making more than 50 arrests and seizing more than 125 bikes from areas such as Bolton, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Wigan.
PS Grogan, from the Force Prevention Branch, said: “Here at Greater Manchester Police we are continuing with our unwavering commitment to protecting our communities from the disruption and danger caused by anti-social behaviour involving e-bikes, motorbikes and quad bikes.
“We understand the frustration residents feel by reckless riding, and we’re deploying every resource at our disposal – from specialist officers to cutting-edge surveillance technology – to identify offenders and hold them accountable.
“This isn’t just about enforcement; it’s about reclaiming our streets and ensuring families can enjoy their neighbourhoods without fear or disturbance. We’re sending a clear message: if you choose to ride anti-socially in Greater Manchester, we will find you, and you will face the consequences.
We are working with other agencies in Community Safety Partnerships, so that action can be taken against tenants where residents are responsible for anti-social behaviour.”
“We also want to know where these bikes are being stored. Please reach out if you have any information that will help us in our quest to reduce motorcycle-related crime.”
To sign Carly’s petition, visit the website here. If it reaches 100,000 signatures then it will be considered for a debate in Parliament.