Mobility retailer CareCo has launched a campaign to showcase the dangers faced by everyday mobility scooter users on roads and pavements.

Contrary to popular belief, mobility scooters are allowed on pavements and roads, depending on what sort of scooter it is. There are different classes of mobility scooter, class 2 can drive on the pavement, and class 3 can drive on both the road and the pavement, but class 3 scooters are restricted to 8mph on the road and 4mph on the pavement. 

The UK is estimated to have over 1 million potholes and an estimated 250,00-300,000 mobility scooters on the road according to the department for transport. The damage caused by potholes in England alone is an estimated £14.4 billion, but this doesn’t consider the risks to those who use mobility scooters. 

According to recent road casualty data:  

• 80 mobility scooter users reported seriously injured in collisions in 2024 which is a notable rise from 64 injuries in 2023 
• In 79% of all injury collisions involving mobility scooters the user was the victim 

If a mobility scooter was to hit a pothole on the road, then it can cause damage to tyres, including punctures, but it could also cause an accident as riders could lose stability and veer into traffic which is dangerous for all road users. 

Obstructed pavements are also dangerous for those using mobility scooters, as well as parents with prams and other pedestrians. Hazards such as parking on the pavement, are dangerous to mobility scooter users because it means that they cannot move freely across to where they need to go.  Parking on the pavement can also land drivers with fines of up to £100 in some areas.

Will Harrison, CareCo founder, says, “The dangers of potholes to drivers are well documented, but the dangers to mobility scooters aren’t spoken about enough. Those who need mobility scooters are often more vulnerable members of society and can often be left in even more vulnerable situations through poor road maintenance, or carelessness of other drivers.  

We want to raise awareness of the unseen dangers that mobility scooter users face every day. Potholes can cause significant damage to mobility scooters and put users in potentially dangerous situations, and obstructions on the pavement can also lead to mobility scooter users having to put themselves in potentially very dangerous situations by needing to use the road to pass.” 

Pic: Trent University