Tips on Driving your Mobility Scooter in Winter

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The Christmas period is full of fun and visiting family and friends which we all love and hate as it’s cold and miserable outside. Unfortunately we cannot change the weather for you so you must follow these steps for your mobility scooter when going out in the winter months to ensure your ultimate safety.

Batteries

Charge your batteries regularly

Batteries can often deteriorate faster if not maintained properly, so it is important to charge your batteries to their fullest and keep them warm this winter as often lithium ion batteries can freeze when exposed to cold air for too long. This could mean your mobility scooter can break down until warmed back up again.

Leave your batteries charging until the last possible moment

Ensure you are following the guidelines laid out in your product manual for your battery maintenance but a common tip is to charge your batteries to their fullest potential which can sometimes be up to 10 hours. If you interrupt the charging of your battery then this can damage its life length. 

Tyres

Check tyres regularly

Check your tyres regularly before any trip on your mobility scooter for any wear and tear or damage that will need to be repaired before your adventure. It is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your safety this winter time.

Check tyre pressure

Tyre pressure is very important for air filled tyres on your mobility scooter as this will help with better grip in icy conditions. You may want to swap out the inner tube inside and coat with a puncture repellent for more safety this winter too.

Care

Dry off after being out in the rain / snow and clean after every use

IT is important to keep your mobility scooter dry to prevent rust to the batteries or body of your scooter. Even a little drop can cause a big impact if not dried off properly and as we go into winter, your mobility scooter may need a hand to help it dry as the weather conditions are too cold.

Add a protective cover to your control panel / scooter

You may look into a protective rain poncho for you to wear whilst driving that will protect you and your mobility scooter when out. There are also rain covers that will keep your mobility scooter dry from the rain if you need to leave it outside of a shop temporarily too.

Store in a dry, indoor use

Lastly the most important step is to keep your mobility scooter inside this winter, away from the cold or wet as this will damage your scooter. All mobility scooters these days are electronic and therefore contain electric components which are not suitable to cold and icy conditions and so they may break if left unprotected for too long.