A mobility scooter can be an essential lifeline for many people with mobility issues, so it’s important to keep the scooter safe to prevent it from potentially getting stolen. Here are a few safety tips to follow.
Always keep the scooter locked
It goes without saying that your mobility scooter should be kept locked at all times, even if you only intend to leave it unattended for a few minutes. In order to make sure you don’t forget to take the ignition key out of the scooter when you go inside a shop, it might be worth investing in a keyring bell that works as a handy reminder.
If your scooter has a feature that enables you to lock the steering, make sure this is also enabled when you leave it unattended.
As well as keeping your scooter locked, don’t leave any valuables in the bags or baskets of the scooter, even if you only leave the scooter for a few minutes.
Use a scooter alarm
Scooter alarms can be readily purchased and easily fitted to your mobility scooter so that if someone tries to access the vehicle when the alarm is activated, it will make a loud noise. This should deter the would-be thief from trying to steal your scooter.
Get a wheel clamp or lock
In order to prevent a mobility scooter from being wheeled away when left unattended, it’s well worth investing in a wheel clamp or a lock. Clamps attach to the wheel, so you’d need to be sufficiently mobile to be able to bend down and secure a clamp in place. Alternatively, there are lots of different types of locks, such as chains, padlocks, U-locks and disk locks that are very affordable to buy and work effectively as anti-theft devices. When using these, lock the scooter to a fixed object, such as a railing or post, to further prevent the vehicle from being taken away.
Invest in a tracker
If you have a mobile phone, it could be a good idea to invest in a tracker, which can be discretely fitted to the scooter. Tracking technology uses GPS, so will be able to alert your phone as to the whereabouts of your scooter, should it go missing. While this won’t stop the scooter from being stolen, it could help to retrieve it.
Keep your scooter within sight
When parking up your mobility scooter, try to choose a spot where you can keep the vehicle in sight, if possible, such as when you nip inside a shop. Or, choose a place to park it that is busy, so that it will be harder for a thief to take your scooter without being noticed.
Change your routines
Many people like to follow the same patterns and routines when out and about, but the problem with this is that it might get noticed by others, making your scooter a potential target for being taken.
It’s, therefore, a good idea to switch your routines up a bit every now and again, so that patterns don’t become predictable to others. For instance, when you’re out, consider choosing a different parking space for your scooter from your usual one, or, if you go out at the same time every day, change the time so that your patterns are less predictable. This could help to deter would-be thieves from knowing where your scooter will be at a particular time.
Keep it safe at home
It’s essential to keep your mobility scooter safe when you’re out and about, but it’s equally as important to make sure the scooter doesn’t risk unwelcome attention when at home. To keep the scooter out of sight from unscrupulous passers-by, avoid leaving it outside, if possible, or, at the very least, place a cover over it.
Even if you do keep the scooter inside, avoid having it in full view, such as in a glass porch. But if this is your only option, again, keep the scooter covered up and locked at all times.
If you have a locked and secure garage that you have easy access to, this is a safe place to keep your scooter when not in use.
Take out insurance
Although having insurance for your scooter won’t stop it from being taken, it can provide you with peace of mind that the vehicle will be covered, should the worst-case scenario happen.
Here at Fish, our Mobility Scooter cover is designed to meet the needs of those looking to insure their scooter against loss or damage and protect themselves against third-party liability claims. Get a quote today by clicking here.
