DVLA report highlights elderly trouble with mobility scooters

A study has found that countless elderly individuals in England could be potentially breaking the law as it is has been found that many are unaware of the legal requirement to register large scooters with the DVLA where it is possible to use them on the road.

It would appear that many individuals who rely on mobility aids including motorised stairlifts and bathroom assistance are unaware that the aids they use outside the home may be breaking the law after going unregistered.

A legal requirement

The report commissioned by the Department for Transport found that a number of mobility scooter suppliers, including that of NHS bodies, fail to inform the supplied of the legal requirement to register larger mobility scooters with the DVLA, similar to that of a car or a motorbike. The report was carried out by the Research Institute for Consumer Affairs (Rica) and found that, in addition to these concerns, the official guidance is unclear as reported in this article.

While mobility restricted individuals can receive home visits and dedicated guidance with the purchase of motorised rise and recliner chairs and other such home aids, it would appear that the guidance is less than acceptable when it comes to mobility scooters.

Perhaps more concerning is that it would appear that even police and councils are not always completely sure of the law in regards to mobility scooters in public, as found in the report. The findings suggest that “perceived lack of interest in policing” and that owners of smaller mobility scooters, who are not permitted to be used on the road, continue to do so as many appear to feel safer on roads than they do on pavements among pedestrians.

The report hopes to make the guidance on such mobility scooters and their purchase more clear in the future as Class-3 aids that weigh in excess of 249lb (113kg) and exceed speeds of eight miles per hour should be fitted with lights and registered to go on the road with the DVLA.

Image Credit: brianac37 (flickr.com)

This content was written by Emily Bray. Please feel free to visit my Google + profile to read more stories.