You may have already seen in the news or on banners that warn you to use the scooter in those accidents involving mobility scooters. For several years now, motorized scooters have become popular to drive around the street or city. Some of these scooters have speeds of up to 30 mph that can travel up to 20 miles. But as its users increase, so does the increase in injuries due to accidents using scooters. These accidents can happen for many reasons or possibly cause by outside parties or elements. However, if the scooter helps you get out, move freely and maintain participation in your activities, it should not stop you from using it. To prevent accidents when using a scooter, you need to make sure you know the rules and protect yourself when you usually use the scooter on roads or pavements. In this blog, I will outline things about what to do to keep every trip you take on your scooter safe.
Find the right scooter for you and your needs:
Having the wrong scooter is especially dangerous when you use it on pavements or roads, and it is not necessary for such surfaces. There are scooters for every purpose and need of the user.
There are boot and folding scooters for easier carrying in the vehicle or any transportation services. Heavy scooters, on the other hand, are for long-distance travel outdoors or on roads. And there are also particular scooters for pedestrian areas, outside shops, and pavements. There are also types of scooters for the user’s height or weight to make their driving more comfortable and safe.
In finding the scooter for you, it is essential to consult your doctor first and base its findings on choosing the scooter that is right for you.
Focus on practicing safe scooter driving:
Before you take out your scooter, make sure you have enough ability to drive your scooter safely. Knowing how the scooter works are essential, but nothing is more important than the proper application of scooter driving considering one’s safety and the people around.
Wear safety equipment:
In any situation where a person will ride a machine or even an animal such as a horse, it is essential to wear safety equipment. Many users today do not pay much attention to it. But wearing a helmet can go a long way in saving your life from any accident, especially if you take on the roads. Not wearing safety equipment is not illegal, but it is necessary for safety.
Ensure your scooter works properly: Besides regular maintenance, you should never forget to check your scooter. Check the battery if it had sufficient or full-charged before use. Also, make sure the horn and lights are working.
Remember to follow the speed limit:
Mobility scooters or any mobility aid devices are substitutes for walking. If we base the scooter’s speed on the person, the person’s average walking rate is 3 to 4 mph, so when the scooter is running on the pavement or pedestrian areas, do not exceed the speed limit of 4 mph. If your scooter is heavy-duty and typically use on the roads, you can run it up to an eight mph speed limit.
Consider getting insurance for your mobility scooter:
Let’s say you have enough training to drive the scooter anywhere outdoors, comply with traffic laws, or complete with safety gear; accidents can still happen, which can be caused by external parties outside your control. So knowing this reality, it is also essential to consider getting insurance for your scooter.
Check legal requirements:
The requirement for a mobility scooter’s weight varies from 100 to 500 kg. It may be different in your state or area, so it is important to double-check it with your local authority. Be careful when buying faster scooters as a mobility aid device. Fast scooters are also classifiable as motor vehicles. It is essential to understand your area’s road traffic rules, registration requirements, and weight limits if any.
Common injuries preventions
Many kinds of injuries possibly experience while using a scooter. Here are some of the most common injuries in scooter use and how to prevent them:
- Injuries to lower leg injuries or braking/bracing: can be found in driving a scooter fast. To avoid this, keep the scooter running at just the right speed. Follow the eight mph speed limit when operating on roads and other broader areas. When stopping with the scooter, make sure that your feet position properly to prevent the lower part of the leg from being overwhelmed by extreme force.
- Injuries to the shoulder and wrist: It gets into the fall on the scooter with the hands outstretched. To prevent this, you can consult a physical therapist for the correct fall technique. This technique can help you reduce the impact of a fall and prevent serious injury.
- Injuries to the head or concussions: This is often the case with riders who have accidents without wearing a helmet. To prevent such injuries, be sure to wear a helmet, especially if traveling outdoors.
- Injuries due to alcohol consumption: this also often happens. Even more, riders think that the scooter is slow and that it does not cause serious injuries. If so, it is wrong to believe that nothing fatal happens in scooter accidents. Again, driving safely and not intoxicated will benefit not only the rider but also fellow pedestrians. To avoid this, never drink while driving.
Many older people go to the hospital almost every year due to severe injuries to various parts of their body after losing control, balance, or falling on the scooter. But injuries often occur with any form of transportation. Therefore, extra care in driving a scooter is needed. The mobility scooter is designed as a mobility aid device and not to bring harm to users.
