If you have limited mobility, mobility scooters can be great to way to maintain your independence and lifestyle. It is however necessary to have comparable skills and be just as safety conscious as you would in any other vehicle.
The Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004 states that a:
mobility device means—
(a) a vehicle that—
(i) is designed and constructed (not merely adapted) for use by persons who require mobility assistance due to a physical or neurological impairment; and
(ii)is powered solely by a motor that has a maximum power output not exceeding 1 500 W; or
(b) a vehicle that the Agency has declared under section 168A(1) of the Land Transport Act 1998 to be a mobility device.
The Rule also states: “A driver must not drive a mobility device on any portion of a roadway if it is practicable to drive on a footpath.”
While mobility scooters are popular and can be easily purchased in most small towns and cities, it’s important that new users are given helpful information, tips and basic advice by the retailer.
You can find some very useful information at the Waka Kotahi (New Zealand Transport Agency) website about scooters and mobility devices. It also provides information about other types of small electric vehicles coming onto the market that haven’t yet been classified or that are going through the approval process.
Updated: 15 Jun 2022