![]() ![]() Mobility scooters have become affordable and reliable vehicles that serve their purpose of mobilizing those in need in an easy to use, efficient, and manageable manner. Mobility scooters are suitable for farther-reaching travel, and therefore provide a complete solution to mobilizing people by expanding the travel range, allowing users to regain autonomy outside of their homes ( Su et al., 2010). Electric-powered wheelchairs have provided a partial solution to mobilizing people with mobility impairment, limited mostly to the confines of their homes and their homes’ surroundings. These include electric-powered wheelchairs and electric-powered mobility scooters ( Karmarkar et al., 2011 La Plante and Kate, 2010). Mobility scooters are dedicated assistive vehicles that allow people who have difficulty walking to perform tasks requiring mobility. ![]() These gaps need to be addressed in regard to the growing number of older mobility scooter users. Second, the knowledge gaps that exist in each of the three domains discussed above will be reviewed. The legal aspects of mobility scooters will be explored, outlining current laws and regulations of relevance to mobility scooter usage from different parts of the world. First, mobility scooters will be introduced, describing their uniqueness as a transportation mode. These include: the impacts on those who adopt mobility scooters into their lifestyle, potential implications for urban and transportation planning, and impacts on enacting laws and regulations pertaining to the safety of those operating and riding mobility scooters, as well as those surrounding them.įollowing the introduction, this paper consists of two parts. The following research note addresses this need by examining the uniqueness of this transportation mode and by calling attention to possible impacts that the growth in mobility scooter use may have in three domains. This leads to an expected compound annual growth rate in purchase of mobility scooters, worldwide, between 20 is expected to reach 7.3%, not accounting for COVID-19. With the population over 65 in the US nearly doubling from 51 million in 2017 to 95 million by 2060 the number of older people that have to contend with mobility disabilities is expected to reach 24 million. Two thirds have difficulty walking or climbing. According to the US Census Bureau (2014), the Release Report CB14-218 for the years 2008–2012, 40% of people aged 65 and older have to contend with disabilities. The growth in the number of mobility scooter users and the expected increase in mobility scooter prevalence creates a rising need to address this form of transportation from multiple perspectives. ![]() Having been used by a small proportion of the population, mobility scooters have mostly been neglected by researchers, planners and policy makers and have not been studied in ways that other vehicles have been. Mobility scooters have been in use by older people for several decades. Mobility scooters are simple, electricity-powered vehicles that are suitable for short-distance travel at low speeds. One possible solution for alternate, more accessible travel could be achieved by using mobility scooters ( Clarke, 2014 Samuelsson,& Wressle, 2014). As a result, restoring older adults’ autonomy may require mobility solutions other than driving cars or using public transportation. ![]() Due to physical changes that become more common with age, older adults' mobility may be limited, restricting their autonomy. As population ages, one of the challenges that older people living in urban environments face is remaining mobile. ![]()
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