With nearly a quarter of the US population expected to reach age 65 and over in the next two decades, mobility scooter use is likely to become more common. Cities across the country are preparing for the Aging of America by incorporating disability-accessible enhancements throughout their towns to help senior citizens get around easier and safer.
Ask Yourself: Is Your Town Mobility Scooter Friendly?
Scooter-friendly towns tend to share certain characteristics that make them a near paradise. The deluxe model of the Ventura scooter features a Captain for drivers of power scooters. Among them are the following:
- Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act — One good sign of a scooter-friendly environment is the wide-spread availability of wheelchair ramp access to public buildings; lifts installed on mass transit; wider sidewalks, and scooter-accessible destinations that are safe and convenient for the disabled and the elderly.
- Areas designated for scooter parking — Downtown districts in San Francisco, Philadelphia and Seattle are replete with on-street scooter parking. Other scooter-friendly towns may offer free motorized scooter parking for anyone who has a properly-issued permit.
- Lower speed limits for cars driven within the town — Town roads can be much safer for motorized scooters when autos are restricted to speeds between 20-35 miles per hour. Safer roads enable seniors to stay active and on-the-go with a power scooter.
- Obstruction-free pathways and roads, paved and in good condition — A scooter-friendly town provides users of personal mobility vehicles with well-maintained surfaces where they can move about easily with less risk of injury. Without level pathways for scooters, many seniors might have to stay indoors, or depend on others for getting around.
- Plenty of bicycle paths throughout town — Bike lanes show a town's acceptance, accommodation, and perhaps even encouragement, of alternative forms of personal transportation beyond cars. In this manner, a scooter-friendly town is often an eco-friendly town as well.
- Power scooter drivers are everywhere! — If you live in a community where seeing a power scooter on the road is as normal as seeing a bicycle or a mini golf cart, then you're living in a scooter-friendly town. Maybe you should start a scooter riding club!
Would you like your city or town to be more scooter-friendly? Simply contact your local department of transportation and/or city planning commission and tell your officials about the need for better scooter access in your community.
And, if you'd like to learn more about available options in personal mobility solutions, contact the Scooter Store Online. With power wheelchairs, assorted accessories and power scooters for getting out and enjoying your freedom, we can help you get the mobility product you need.