NHS worker injured in Northampton e-scooter collision is looking for woman who came to her aid

An e-scooter rider involved in a collision in Northampton is on the lookout for the woman, who rushed to her aid after the incident.

Twenty-eight year old Helena Scott, an NHS worker from Kingsthorpe, rides to and from work on an e-scooter every day.

At around 4.30pm on Thursday (January 12), Helena was riding in Barrack Road towards Kingsthorpe when she was involved in a collision.

Helena said: “A man parked his car on the road and opened his door without looking. I went into his door and onto the road.”

The e-scooter rider told this newspaper that she wears multiple flashing lights when riding so she is visible.

Helena claims the driver helped her off the ground along with another woman, who came to her aid.

Helena said: “I asked him if he looked before opening his door and he said no. I told him about the Dutch Reach which we are supposed to do here, and he didn't know it.”

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA), the Dutch Reach is a practice for drivers where, rather than using your hand closest to the door to open it, you use your far hand.

This practice requires you to reach across your chest to open the door, forcing your body to turn so you can see in the rear-view mirror, the side window and then over your shoulder so you have a clear view of oncoming traffic.

The woman who helped Helena up put her in her car and helped her get back to her nearby workplace so that she could be driven to A&E at Northampton General Hospital. There, she was seen and discharged within an hour.

Helena broke her elbow and possibly also her wrist in the collision - she is waiting for further scans to confirm.

She said: “I am in a lot of pain. I am in a splint and sling and will need a cast if the wrist is broken.”

Helena is now on the lookout for the woman who helped her so that she can thank her personally. The woman is described as having long, dark hair and she claimed she lived close to Barrack Road.

If you are the woman who helped Helena, please get in touch with The Chronicle & Echo either on Facebook, Twitter or by sending an email to [email protected].