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IntroductionA mobility scooter couldcause considerable damage to the user or to other people if it collided withsomeone or something. We have written this highway codeto protect the safety of people whouse electric mobility scooters and the safety of other road users andpedestrians. If you ride a scooter, you must follow this highway codewhether you ride on the pavement,footpath or on the road.

You are responsible for your own, and other people’s safety.

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If you are using a powered vehiclefor the first time, or if it is a whilesince you have driven on the road,we strongly advise you to go on atraining course. For details ofcourses, contact your localdisabled living centre, mobilitycentre or your local authority roadsafety unit.

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Three types of ‘invalid carriage’ are defined in ‘The Use of Invalid Carriages on Highways Regulations 1988’.Class 1 – manual wheelchairsThese wheelchairs are not electricallypowered. You use your arms to move thewheelchair forward, or you are pushed byanother person.

Class 2 – powered wheelchairs andscooters

These are only suitable for riding onpavements or footpaths, and have a topspeed of 4 miles an hour (6 kilometresan hour).

Definitions

Class 3 – powered wheelchairsand other outdoorpowered vehicles,including scooters

These are suitable for riding onroads, and have a top speed of 8miles an hour (12 kilometres anhour) and must not weigh morethan 150 kilograms without thedriver and any load. These alsohave a switch to limit the topspeed to 4 miles an hour (6kilometres an hour) on pavementsor footpaths.

A Class 3 vehicle is not legallydefined as a motor vehicle and theuser does not have to have a drivinglicence or take a driving test.

However, a Class 3 vehicle can onlybe used by a disabled person aged14 or over, or by an able-bodiedperson who is demonstrating avehicle before selling it, training adisabled user, or taking a vehicle to or from a place for maintenance or repair.

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RegistrationClass 1 and Class 2 invalidcarriages do not have to beregistered with the Driver andVehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).You must register a Class 3 vehiclewith the Driver and VehicleLicensing Agency (DVLA). It mustbe licensed in the disabledtaxation class and display a freedisabled tax disc. There is no feeto pay and the vehicle does notneed registration plates. However,you must renew your tax disc each year.

To register and license a Class 3vehicle you should fill in formV55/4 (for new vehicles) or V55/5 (for used vehicles) andsend it to the DVLA headquartersin Swansea - DVLA Swansea, SA99 1BE.

Guidance on filling in the forms isgiven in the DVLA’s leaflets INF210and INF211. You can find theaddress of your local DVLA office:

• at www.gov.uk/dvla-offices; or

• in the V100 information leafletavailable from post offices thatissue tax discs.

Important basic advice1 Make sure that you get a scooter

that is appropriate for yourneeds. Get professional advicebefore buying a mobility scooter.This could meangetting anassessment andadvice from yourlocaloccupationaltherapist ora reputabledealer.

2 Make sure that you know whatall the switches and levers onyour scooter do, and that youcan control it properly beforeyou go out on it.

3 Make sure that the scooter isproperly maintained. Have itthoroughly checked (themanufacturer’s handbook willtell you how often to do this).

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4 Keep the battery fully chargedand get to know how far yourscooter can go before it willneed recharging. Rememberthat the distance you can travelwill depend on the condition ofthe battery, the weight you haveon the scooter and the kind ofroute you follow. Cold weather,travelling on rough surfaces andtravelling up hills will use morepower and reduce the distanceyou can travel.

Insurance5 Although you do not have to be

insured by law, we stronglyrecommend that you have atleast third-party cover. It is alsoa good idea to be covered forfire, theft, and damage.

Plan your journey6 The most direct or the shortest

route will not always be the bestroute to take. Steep hills, highkerbs or other obstructions maymake it impossible to tacklecertainroutes.

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7 You may take a Class 1wheelchair on some buses andtrains but always check that thisservice is available for both youroutward and return journeysbefore you set off.

Out and about8 Do not use your scooter if you

have been drinking alcohol ortaking drugs. Check the patientinformation on any medicationyour doctor prescribes or whichyou buy over the counter. If theinformation says the medicationcould cause drowsiness, don’tuse the scooter.

9 See and be seen! If you areusing anything to protect youfrom the weather, make surethat it does not restrict yourvision. Wearfluorescentmaterials or havefluorescentmarkings onyour scooterand put onyour lights tohelp otherroad users see you.

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10 Do not wear loose-fittingclothes. Make sure any belts orscarves are tucked away sothey can’t catch in one of the

wheels.

11 Do not carry another person(child or adult) with you on thescooter.

12 Do not carry or lead a pet whileyou are on your scooter. Eventrained and well-behavedanimals can be unpredictableand cause crashes.

13 Don’t overload your scooterwith shopping or other goodsas this could make the vehicleunstable. Do not have anythinghanging from the handlebars asthis will make it more difficultto control the scooter.10

On the move14 Be careful when going up and

down kerbs. Always approachat right angles and do not goup or down kerbs higher thanrecommended for the type andsize of your wheels (look in themanufacturer’s handbook forguidance). Wherever possible,cross roads where there is adropped kerb.

15 Take extra care when youcannot see clearly ahead, forexample, when you areapproaching a corner wherethere is a wall or hedgerestricting your view.

16 Take great care whengoingroundcorners.Yourscootercouldtopple overif you goround a cornertoo quickly,especially if theground is sloping.

17 Be very careful when you areapproaching corners orjunctions on loose gravel, on aslippery surface or downhill.

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18 Slow down in plenty of time.There may be a delay inbraking on some scooters.

19 Always be aware of pedestriansand road users. Pedestriansmay not see or hear youapproaching them, especiallyfrom behind. Look carefullybefore you move off or changedirection.

On the pavement20 Some scooters are designed

only to be driven safely onpavements or footpaths,except when you are crossingroads.

21 If you are riding a Class 3vehicle, you must switch overto the 4 miles an hour (6kilometres an hour) settingwhen you are using it on apavement or footpath.

22 Pedestrians have right of way!If you are riding your scooter ona pavement or footpath, giveway to pedestrians. The topspeed allowed on pavements orfootpaths is 4 miles an hour (6kilometres an hour), but eventhis is too fast where there arepedestrians about.

23 In a crowded area, such as ashopping precinct or shop, youmust make sure that you donot run into anyone or causeany damage with your scooter.12

On the road24 To drive on the road you need a

vehicle that can travel at up to 8miles an hour (12 kilometres anhour). It must also haveheadlights, rear lights, flashingindicators and a horn.

25 Remember that you are notdriving a car but a very smalland slow vehicle, which is veryvulnerable. It is wise to avoidusing busy roads.

26 When on the road, you mustfollow the same rules as othertraffic.

27 You must keep to the left.13

28 You must obey traffic lightsand all other road signals andinstructions, including stopsigns, give-way signs and signsfor one-way streets.

29 You must give way topedestrians on crossings.

30 At night, you must have yourheadlights and rear lights on.

31 Although it is notrecommended, you can usedual carriageways if you havean extra flashing amberwarning light.

32 You must not use your scooteron motorways.

33 You are not allowed to use buslanes or cycle tracks.

34 Always indicate before pullingout or turning left or right.

35 When you are passing parkedcars, look out for doorsopening.

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36 Remember that other vehiclesare almost certainly movingmuch faster than you are andmay reach you before youexpect them to. Be sure thatyou have plenty of time tocarry out your actions.

37 Don’t rely on your mirror. Itmay give a false impression ofdistance.

38 To turn right, it may be safer toturn on to the pavement anduse a pedestrian crossing tocross the road. If there is nopavement, it may be safer tostop on the left and wait for asafe gap in the traffic.

39 Use your hazard lights if youcannot move for any reason, orif you are in a difficult ordangerous situation. Do notdrive with them onunnecessarily.

40 Do not park your scooterwhere it would cause anobstruction and make itdifficult for others to use thepavement or footpath.

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For more information about buying andusing mobility scooters, please contact: