Quantifying Mobility Scooter Performance in Winter Environments

Objectives: To quantify mobility scooter performance when traversing snow, ice, and concrete in cold temperatures and to explore possible performance improvements with scooter winter tires. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Hospital-based research institute. Participants: Two drivers (50 and 100 kg) tested 8 scooter models (N=8). Two mobility scooters were used for winter tire testing. Interventions: Scooters were tested on 3 different conditions in a random sequence (concrete, 2.5-cm depth snow, bare ice). Ramp ascent and descent, as well as right-angle cornering up to a maximum of 10 degrees slopes on winter conditions, were observed. Winter tire testing used the same slopes with 2 scooters on bare and melting ice surfaces. Main Outcome Measures: Maximum achievable angle (MAA) and tire traction loss for ramp ascent and descent performance. The ability to steer around a corner on the ramp. Results: All scooters underperformed in winter conditions, specifically when traversing snow- and ice-covered slopes (x2 [2, N=8]=13.87-15.55, P<.001) and corners (x2 [2, N=8]=12.25, P<.01). Half of the scooters we tested were unable to climb a 1:12 grade (4.8 degrees) snow-covered slope without losing traction. All but 1 failed to ascend an ice-covered 1:12 grade (4.8 degrees) slope. Performance was even more unsatisfactory for the forward downslopes on both snow and ice. Winter tires enhanced the MAA, permitting 1:12 (4.8 degrees) slope ascent on ice. Conclusions: Mobility scooters need to be designed with winter months in mind. Our findings showed that Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant built environments, such as curb ramps that conform to a 1:12 (4.8 degrees) slope, become treacherous or impassible to mobility scooter users when covered in ice or snow. Scooter manufacturers should consider providing winter tires as optional accessories in regions that experience ice and snow accumulation. Additional testing/standards need to be established to evaluate winter mobility scooter performance further. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2021;102:1902-9 (c) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of The American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Automated summary

The study found that mobility scooters generally underperformed in winter conditions when traversing snow and ice, but winter tires can improve performance, though there is still room for improvement.