Factors to consider before buying a Mobility Scooter

Posted by AllmaJess on September 1st, 2014

Restriction on movement caused by physical disabilities is no longer an issue to worry about thanks to the advent of a mobility scooter with its numerous beneficial features. Technological advancements in this field have been immense. Take for example the hand controls which have made it possible for people with such disabilities to even think about the possibility of driving on their own without taking assistance from anyone else. But there are certain important factors which must be considered keeping in mind the comfort, safety and security of those who will sit behind the wheels.

Firstly we should be completely aware of the features of a scooter and the driving controls so that it’s easier for us to decide about the kind of product that would best suit our requirements. There are several important features which you must note in order to ensure that you take the right decision while buying a mobility scooter. Let’s start with the wheels. You’ll usually get three varieties of wheels – three, four and five. You can also get a front or rear wheel drive according to your requirement. A front wheel scooter is generally used for indoor purposes while the rear wheel model can be used for carrying heavy load. The hand controls are usually located on the handlebars of the scooter.

A mobility scooter has two types of seats – small and large. The small seats usually come with a padded backrest. The large seats come with both a head and a backrest for the greater comfort. The scooter runs on 12 volt batteries. Brakes are automatic and as soon as the driver lets go of acceleration features, the brakes become active. You can also get emergency brakes in large scooters. Similarly, hand controls also have several beneficial features about which you should be conversant.

You can get different combinations of driving controls according to your requirement. For instance, if you only want the clutch and brakes to be included, you can get your hand controls customized accordingly. Acceleration controls, secondary controls, hand-controlled clutch, gas and brake systems, satellite accelerator are a few examples of the different kinds of hand held driving controls. These controls are designed to go with the look and design of your vehicle so that it doesn’t look out of the place. 

Secondly, there are certain legal issues which need to be addressed first so that you don’t face any complications while driving your mobility scooter. You need to consider the class under which your scooter falls so that you can take care of registration issues. There are also certain age restrictions of driving this scooter. Also, you need to check with the concerned authorities if you meet the provisions to be considered as a candidate suitable for usage of the scooter. Before getting your choice of hand controls installed in your car, you must also check if they are compatible with the rest of the driving controls. It is important that you test the controls after installation thoroughly so that you don’t face any issues while driving your car later on.

The important factors of Mobility Scooter and Hand Controls need to be kept in mind before buying one.