The Do's and Don'ts of Recreational Scooters

As a scooter owner, you must be familiar with local laws and general etiquette. There are some places where you can't operate your recreational scooters. Moreover, scooters are not as a safe ride compared with cars. Being unsteady while riding can lead to major body injuries.

New to scooters? If yes, then you’re at the right place. Knowing about the dos and don'ts is a must for every person having or looking to get a scooter. This blog contains all the necessary information about recreational electric scooters. 

What Are the Do's and Don'ts of E-Scooters?

Keep within the speed limit

While driving an e-scooter, make sure to keep within the speed limit. Check the speedometer to make sure that you are going at the right speed according to the speed limits of the area. Always be cautious when driving, especially when there are other cars on the road. Also, maintain a certain distance from the vehicles ahead.

Don’t Let Children Ride Your Scooter

Children get excited easily, and they can injure themself or damage the e-scooter. Some drivers may attempt to give the scooter to children that are too young to ride. It could cause them to trip, fall, or get hurt. Always supervise children who are riding on your scooter and remind them of the rules. Also, follow the laws of your area and let your children only ride an electric scooters if they are of a certain age limit.

Learn About Possible Injuries

You need to know what sort of injuries occur most frequently in recreational electric scooter accidents. First, it is important to note that most injuries occur to children aged eight and nine who are riding unsupervised. (The age group with the highest accident rates is twelve-year-olds.) Other common injuries include bruises, muscle strains, broken bones, and spinal damage.

Don't drink and drive

Driving with high amounts of alcohol can affect the operator's vision and make driving risky. Also, you won’t be able to focus on the other vehicles on the road. If you happen to lose control and fall, you might face a terrible accident. Accidents related to drinking and driving can be deadly, and you can be severely injured and fined.

Do Start Slowly

When riders see that they cannot get startled easily, they often panic and put extra pressure on the brake lever. They squeeze it too hard, causing unnecessary wear and tear on the drive mechanism. Begin the ride slowly until the motor has had the opportunity to warm up. After that, increase the speed gradually as the motor becomes stronger.

Don't let the scooter take control of you

Things such as over speeding may give you a thrill, but you need to control it. Whenever it feels like the scooter is straining against the rider, pull over and rest. Make sure the scooter has cooled down completely before attempting to ride again.

Do Read the Specs Carefully Before Purchasing

The features and specs of a recreational mobility scooter must align with your needs. Look at their speed, warranty, pricing, driving range, and other important specifications. If you don’t know about recreational scooters, you can consult someone to get appropriate information.

Don’t Operate Recreational Scooters in High Traffic Areas

Avoid congested areas when riding your scooter. Riding in an area where there are many other vehicles can be a cause of accidents. It happens for many reasons. People may be traveling faster than they should. Others might be looking for a shortcut through an area and forget to signal.

Do Read the User Manual

The operator's manual or" user manual" is a very good place to start. It contains all of the technical specifications, as well as the suggestions to use your bike. You can also look for a detailed list of the scooter's various mechanical parts, along with their short description. Besides that, if the recreational scooters have a remote control, you can use a manual to learn controls. Moreover, there is also information about keypads to operate the scooter.

Don’t Be Distracted By Devices

Don't be distracted by cell phones or laptops while you are riding your scooter. Many people like to text while they are riding, but this can cause serious accidents. Just be aware of what is going on around you and keep your eyes and ears open. Don't wear headphones or any other device that may be distracting while you are riding your e-scooter.

Do Follow the Signal Lights

If you need to stop at a red light, signal, or cross a busy street, do safely. Also, drive at the allowed speed. Don’t try to pass on when the signal is red. Most importantly, don’t ride the e-scooter if you are underage.

Do Practice Safe Driving

Make sure you are practicing safe driving skills while you are riding your recreational electric scooter. Always look both ways before you make a turn. It would be best if you slow down or stop briefly to let other riders know that you are about to make a turn. Make sure that your scooter is in proper condition. Many parts may need to be checked periodically.

Don't ride without a helmet

According to a study, only 4% of the riders wear helmets, and that’s the cause of many severe accidents. Wearing protective gear like a helmet is important to avoid serious head injuries. Besides that, you should wear closed-toe shoes to protect your feet. Moreover, don’t try to overtake and race other bikes or cars on the road.

Here are a couple of common questions that most people have:

Do I Need a Licence?

Recreational mobility scooters do not require a license to drive. You may need to register them, depending on class 2 or 3 invalid carriage.

Do I Need Insurance?

It's not required but it's generally recommended that you do.

Vehicle Tax and Registration

You don't need to pay vehicle tax but class 3 invalid carriages need to be registered by completing a V55/4 form for new vehicles. People owning used vehicles require to complete a V55/5 form. Forms can be found on DVLA’s online ordering service. 

Final thoughts

You might feel overwhelmed while riding your new recreational scooter but, you need to follow the rules. Try to follow all these do's and don’ts to avoid injuries and traffic fines. Also, be more careful if you are a new rider and get proper training before you start riding.

Take a look at some of our recreational scooters and find one that fits you're needs. https://www.ebikejoy.com/collections/transportation-electric-scooters