Partnership focuses on mobility scooter safety

South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership and Parkgate Mobility have joined forces to deliver a series of free mobility scooter safety sessions for South Yorkshire residents.

The partnership says that in the last five years across South Yorkshire there have been 28 incidents involving mobility scooters, 17 of which resulted in an injury or a fatality.

The Scooter Safe initiative teaches users about the legal requirements of owning and using a scooter and the skills required to drive their machine safely.

Scooter Safe involves a combination of theory and hands on sessions with attendees using a variety of mobility scooters, or even their own machine, to navigate a series of obstacle courses and day-to-day situations.

PC Mick Hedges explains: “The two hour session is designed to be fun and interactive, and is open for scooter users of all ages. During the session we aim to explain the lawful requirements and responsibilities of owning a scooter, provide manoeuvrability skills and raise road safety awareness to mobility scooter users.

“The aim of the project is to help South Yorkshire residents with mobility issues to maintain their independence whilst enhancing their own safety and confidence on roads and public areas.”

Each Scooter Safe event can cater for eight scooter users and the first one will be held on 30 May at the Lifewise Centre in Hellaby.

For more information contact Steve Betts on 07831 42 46 41.