Anyone is allowed to ride a mobility scooter, and most people drive with courtesy to other people, and drive safely. However do you always drive with safety (yours and other peoples) in mind?

Here are some tips for driving safely in your mobility scooter.

The right scooter.
Is your scooter ideal for your needs? You don’t want one that is too big or too small for you. Get professional advice before you buy your scooter – your doctor or occupational therapist will give you sensible, impartial advice on what you need.

Do you know exactly how to drive your mobility scooter?
It may sound obvious, but make sure you learn about all the controls on your scooter, before you set off for the first time. The controls are simple, but you need to know how to stop, start, change speed, and turn properly.

Maintenance
Is your scooter in top condition?

The battery needs to be charged in advance of using your scooter.

Keeping your scooter clean and dry will help keep it free of rust and grime.

Always get it serviced by a reputable engineer. Many maintenance engineers will service your scooter in your home, so you don’t need to be without it.

Insurance and your scooter.
At the moment, you do not need to have insurance for your mobility scooter. However it is a good idea to get it insured. Whilst most of us drive carefully, accidents do happen.

3rd party insurance will cover you if you injure someone else while on your scooter, or will cover other property if you cause an accident. Comprehensive insurance will cover you if your scooter needs repairing if you cause an accident.

Fire theft and damage insurance would also be useful – you don’t want to be left out of pocket and unable to get out and about if something happens to your scooter.

Planning your journey.
Carefully think about where it is you are going. A route you use by car or on foot may not be the safest or best route on your scooter. Think about whether there are any obstacles or hills on your journey. Sometimes a different way might be better.

Drinking and driving.
You can be arrested for being drunk in charge of a carriage.

To be safe on your mobility scooter; it makes sense that you have not used drink or drugs before hand. Remember about your prescription drugs too. Some of these may inhibit your judgement, and make driving unsafe. Do not use your scooter if you have taken medication that may make you drowsy.

Your mobility scooter may not go as fast as a car, but you can still cause serious damage to other road users and pedestrians.

Bags and clothing.
Don’t overload or hang bags from your scooter. Likewise with your clothes. Don’t wear anything that is loose or could get caught on something. Wear bright clothing, reflective or florescent clothing is best. Be visible at all times. (Use the lights on your scooter – this will help other road users see you.)

Passengers.
Don’t carry any passengers on your scooter. Not even a child.
Even well behaved pets can be a danger. Don’t carry them on your scooter or have them on a lead off your scooter.

Driving on the pavement.
Some scooters are designed to be used on the pavement – but remember - pedestrians have the right of way.

Always make sure your scooter is set to a maximum speed of 4mph when you are on the pavement. Drive slower if there are pedestrians about, you are in a shopping area or a shop.

Driving on the road.
Scooters that can drive at 6 or 8mph are allowed to drive on the road. However you must also have lights at the front and back, indicators and a horn.

You must be extra vigilant when using the road on your scooter. Other traffic will be going faster than you, and may not have much patience with a slow vehicle like yours. Always make sure you have enough space and time for any manoeuvre you need to perform.

Take care when crossing roads or going up and down curbs. Try to cross roads where there is a dropped curb, or a pedestrian crossing. Always approach curbs at a right-angle, this will keep your scooter more stable.

Remember you are not allowed to use bus or taxi lanes, motorways or cycle tracks.