Top Tips for Scooter Safety

Whether you are a new rider or an old hand, it’s a good idea to review the essentials, to make sure you can enjoy your mobility scooter in safety.

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Top tips for scooter safety:

Yourself –

• Make sure you can see well enough to drive a scooter safely

• Check that the seating position is comfortable and allows you proper control of the scooter

• Before venturing out for the first time, get some training: make sure you know how to steer the scooter, go backwards, turn round, go up and down kerbs safely – and stop!

• Keep possessions, such as your handbag or wallet, mobile phone, etc, tucked away safely and out of sight
 

Your scooter –

• Know the range of your scooter – don’t try pushing the boundaries (and remember, you have to get back again, as well!)

• Check tyres and lights regularly. Tyres should be kept at the pressure recommended by the manufacturer, to be safe and last as long as possible. Replace them when they are worn. Replace dead bulbs, and remember to use your lights whenever it is gloomy or overcast, as well as in the evening/night.

• Don’t overload your scooter like this with shopping or other goods!

• Handlebars are for steering, not storage – if you hang bags from them, it will make the scooter unstable and difficult to control

• Some people like to “pimp their ride”, like Jossie Solheim, whose “Speedy McNipster” is shown below in Christmas regalia. Don’t let decorations get in the way of scooter safety: make sure you don’t add anything that could get caught in the wheels or any other part of the scooter, and also ensure that you aren’t going to trip or get tangled up yourself!

• Insurance is not compulsory, but still a good idea, to protect yourself in the case of accidental damage or theft, and also any negligence claims that might arise from your scooter use. Some policies include breakdown insurance, which will get you home if you scooter lets you down.
 

Your driving style –

• Class 2 scooters may only be driven on pavements and foot paths; Class 3 scooters can also go on the road. 4 mph is the maximum speed on the pavement, 8 mph on the road. Roadgoing scooters must be switched to the 4 mph maximum speed when you use them on the pavement.

• Although 4 mph is the speed limit, that doesn’t mean it’s always safe to go that fast. In unfamiliar, cramped or crowded places, you should be travelling more slowly

• Remember that pedestrians have right of way, and always give way to them. Be particularly aware of children, who aren’t necessarily paying attention to you, and may run into your path, and older people, who probably can’t jump out of your way.

• On the road, you need lights front and rear, indicators and a horn. Even so, use great care and commonsense – you are travelling a lot more slowly than other vehicles, so be sure you have enough time and space to complete any manoeuvre. You must NEVER go on a motorway.
 

Winter hazards –

• Take extra care when road and pavement surfaces are icy and may be slippery.

• Dress warmly, with a waterproof top layer. Some scooters have a weather cab to protect you from the worst of the winter.

• Be visible in the gloom – use your lights, and consider some high vis accessories. You can get strips to attach to sleeves and legs, as well as gilets and bags made with reflective material.

• It is a good idea to have a mobile phone on you, in case of emergency. Don’t forget to check that it is charged up, and programmed with the numbers you me need. You can also get GPS trackers, so your rescuers know exactly where to find you.

• Remember that the range of your scooter will be less in cold weather.

• If you don’t use your scooter during the winter months, make sure you keep the battery charged. If it becomes completely discharged, you may not be able to get it charged up again when you want to use it in the spring.

• If your scooter lives outdoors, it needs protecting from the winter weather, with a waterproof cover. Damp can play havoc with the electronics.
 

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Further reading and resources

If you have any other tips to help with scooter safety, please share – add your comments below.

To help with choosing a mobility scooter, visit the Independent Living scooter section

eFOLDi compact foldable scooter helps with independent mobility

Can you take your scooter on a bus? Find out here

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