For seniors and others that have difficulty walking, a mobility scooter can be a very important safety tool.
These devices are designed to offer a similar service that you would expect from an electric wheelchair, but are structurally look much different.
There are three basic types of mobility scooters, specifically heavy duty scooters, travel scooters, and traditional scooters.
Each of these devices has distinct advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to understand their differences before investing in a mobility scooter.
The heavy duty scooter is the most powerful type of mobility scooter available, often supporting a 500 pound weight capacity.
These devices are powerful tools that can be driven off-road with ease.
They offer increased stability, larger off road tires, a higher ground distance, and reinforced bumpers.
These types of scooters also offer a number of extra features to make them more comfortable and easier to use.
However, due to their large size they are not transported very easily.
Most people choose to install a wheelchair lift onto their car or van if they need to use the device away from home.
Also as a result of their large size, they are not as well conditioned for use in tight quarters, such as you might experience inside of a home.
Travel scooters fall onto the opposite side of the spectrum, offering a very lightweight design that can be taken apart easily.
Since each individual piece is so lightweight, it is usually possible to store and transport these devices in a car without installing a wheelchair lift.
However, to help reduce weight, most special features are stripped.
They can also do not offer very good off-road performance, nor can they support as much weight or offer as much stability as other types of scooters.
Traditional scooters fall in the middle, offering a number of special features and improved stability when compared to a travel scooter.
They also have a larger per charge range than a travel model would have.
However, they are not as powerful as a heavy duty model would be and they are also not able to handle off road terrain as well.
Due to their smaller size they do preform better inside of a home though.
When transporting a traditional model, a wheelchair lift is usually required, although they can be taken apart as well.
The individual pieces are much heavier than a travel scooter though, so most users would not be able to safely lift them into a trunk of a car.
Since each of these different designs offers different advantages and disadvantages, it is necessary to evaluate both the physical attributes of the rider as well as their individual needs.
Determining where the scooter will be used is often the most important decision, because, for instance, a travel model will preform well indoors, but is not well suited for unpaved ground.
Heavy duty models will, on the other hand, preform incredibly well across off-road terrain, but might have trouble with the tight quarters inside of a home.
Finding a balance of benefits and disadvantages is essential to finding the best type of mobility vehicle available.