Staying safe on your mobility scooter at night

A mobility scooter is an invaluable way for you to get around. However, now we are meeting our friends and looking forward to some evenings out, you need to consider some safety precautions while out and about.

You should feel as safe and confident as possible while you are out in public at any time, especially at night. There are some ways in which you can protect yourself and avoid certain instances from happening.

We have collected some top tips for mobility scooter safety while you are out at night, so read on to find out more!

Plan ahead

One of the most important things you can do before you head out is to plan ahead. Try to plan your route out to and from your destination, and give it a try during the daytime, so you know the area.

Try to plan your mobility scooter course using streets that are well lit and where you will be able to cross the road easily and safely. Bear in mind that you will need to be more careful in poorly lit areas than usual, as you are naturally lower down than some pedestrians and are in an area of low visibility. These are all essential parts of mobility scooter road safety, so you should be able to travel more easily.

Add lights

If your mobility scooter is larger, you might have lights already built into it. However, if you have a smaller scooter, you may find that you need to add lights. Fixing lights to your mobility scooter shouldn’t be difficult and could help you to find your way through poorly lit areas.

You can get pushbike lights which can be easily mounted and provide you with more visible light. These will also help you be more visible to those around you, making the streets safer for everyone.

Get reflective items

In the evening, lights are not the only thing that can help you to be more visible in darkened areas. Create a higher level of visibility when you purchase some reflective products.

There is such a wide range of reflective items available that you will be able to find something to suit your needs. You can wear a jacket during cooler evenings, or you could find a reflective bag that you can easily sling over the back of your mobility scooter.

You should also make sure that your reflective strips are on the back of your mobility scooter so that you can be visible to everyone around you, both pedestrians and drives.

Take an alarm

The sad truth is that some people might see a mobility scooter user as an easy target, and you may be more vulnerable as the nights draw in. Mobility scooter theft happens and is especially likely to take place at night, or you may find yourself the victim of having your possessions snatched from you. While this can seem very unsettling, there is a way to protect yourself.

A good way to keep yourself feeling more secure in this case is to take an alarm with you so that you can alert others in the area to theft or other uncomfortable occurrences. This can draw attention to you and encourage others to come and help you out of difficult situations. An alarm can also scare off a thief in the act – which is an important tool.

Stay in touch

When you are heading out, let people know where you are going. This is a significant part of going out at night no matter who you are, but it is especially essential for those using mobility scooters. Let your friends know when you set out so that they know when to expect you, and you can even use a tracker so that they can be sure when you are en route and if you end up being taken off course by any accident.

Similarly, when you are heading back home, you should let someone know how long you might be, and if you live alone, you can text them once you arrive so that they know you are secure.

We should all be able to enjoy going out and having fun with friends and family in the evening, but taking some precautions make those nights out even better. Hopefully, with these tips, you will feel a little safer and more confident when heading out at night. Be careful, stay safe, and enjoy your evenings.