Scooter Safety

A scooter is a great way to get around town. The gas mileage (and parking situation) is much better than a car. Enjoy the agility and ease of riding a smaller vehicle. It’s no wonder scooters are so popular!

But riding a scooter is a different ballgame than riding a car. You are much smaller and much less protected in the event of an accident, so you’ll need to take extra care to stay safe. We put together the following beginner’s guide to scooter safety. For everything related to scooters, visit Cycles of Jacksonville.

Visibility

Visibility is two-fold: you need to be able to see and be seen without impairment. Scooters tend to be the smallest vehicles on the road. This makes a scooter great for agility, but not so much for visibility. You’ll need to take steps to ensure other motorists see you. Always wear reflective gear (even during the day). Check that all your lights are bright and working properly before you hit the road. Leave plenty of space between you and other vehicles and signal in plenty of time before turning or changing lanes.

It’s important that your own visibility isn’t compromised. You must wear a helmet each time you ride your scooter of course. But some helmet styles and sizes can block part of your view. Make sure you still retain peripheral vision with your helmet and, if needed, buy a different one.

Blind Spots

It’s important to stay aware of blind spots while riding your scooter. You may see that large truck without issue, but that doesn’t mean they can see you! The larger the vehicle, the larger the blind spot. Take care when following and passing vehicles. Work to stay outside of their blind spot as much as possible.

While your scooter may be small, it still has its own blind spot issues. Keep this in mind as you maneuver down the road. The more often you ride your scooter, the more familiar you will become with its blind spots. Before changing lanes or turning, check your mirrors and turn your head to look behind you. There may be a vehicle that doesn’t show up in your mirror - you don’t want to collide with it.

Hazards

When you ride your scooter, you will inevitably encounter hazards. A light, unexpected rain can make the roadway slick and slippery. An animal may dart in your path. A hidden pothole may catch you off guard.

You can’t prevent every hazard, but you can mitigate their severity. Always stay alert on the road scanning for these hazards. The more in advance you can spot them, the easier it is to deal with them. Avoid problem spots, like steel plates and potholes, as much as possible. When you must travel through them, retain a firm grip on the controls and keep your feet on the floorboards. Let your momentum take you through the hazard.

Beginner Riders

We all start somewhere. If you are new to riding scooters, you’ll need to take extra steps to ensure safety. Practice is key! Take your scooter out to a low traffic area, like a residential neighborhood or large parking lot. Ride around and practice turning, braking, acceleration, and so on. It’ll take some time to get used to your scooter and it’s important not to rush the process. Once you build up your confidence, you’ll be ready to tackle the open road with ease.

We hope you found our guide helpful! For all your scooter needs, visit Cycles of Jacksonville. Check our our range of new and used scooters for sale. Use our service department to fix up your scooter. Whatever you need, you can find it here! We proudly serve those in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Orlando, Florida.