Mobility Scooters: Before You Buy

Buying a mobility scooter can be the perfect way to give renewed freedom to those with trouble walking, but with so many products available choosing a scooter can prove tricky. If you have additional disabilities a personal assessment by a qualified therapist is always recommended, and can be provide at numerous assessment centres accross the country. If on the other hand you know what kind of scooter you can use there are still a number of things to bear in mind.

The first thing to consider is where will you use the scooter. If you will never do more than ride on pavements within a few miles of your most scooters will fit the bill. If however you intend on travelling further battery life will be a consideration, the range of scooters varying from ten miles per charge for smaller collapsible scooter to as much as 30 miles for for some of the heavy duty scooters.

If you intend to drive on the road you must have a class 3 scooter. These scooters will have a top speeds between four and six miles per hour, must weigh less the 330 pounds unladen, will have front and rear lights and indicators, a rear view mirror, and a horn. Class 3 scooters require nil duty tax disc, details can be found on the DVLA website. If you intend to use your scooter off road you choices become much narrower; off road scooters will typically have heavy duty suspension, higher ground clearance and wider tires.

Storage is a major consideration often overlooked. If you are planning on keeping your in doors it will clearly have to fit through the door, but also you will need to be able to turn it. If you have to navigate through narrow or twisting hallways a three wheel scooter will scooter may be more appropriate. The wheel scooters will generally be less stable that the equivalent for wheel model. If you intend to keep the scooter outside bear in mind that you will probably want to secure the scooter with a heavy duty lock. Wherever you plan to store your scooter the one thing you must have is access to a power point.

Buying a mobility scooter can be a liberating experience, and hopefully by bearing in mind these few simple points you can choose your new scooter with confidence.