For more than 100 years, RAA has been helping motorists keep their vehicles on the move and now that service has been expanded to include roadside assistance for mobility scooters.
RAA Senior Manager Mobility and Automotive Policy, Mark Borlace said the popularity of mobility scooters continues to grow, with RAA Shops seeing an increase of 110 per cent in sales in just the past three years.
“We understand many of our members, as they age, either choose not to drive as often any more, or use a mobility scooter as their sole mode of transport,” said Mr Borlace.
“We’ve always been focused on helping our members stay on the move by providing roadside assistance when their cars break down, and now we can extend that offer to mobility scooters as well.”
The decision follows a successful pilot program run by RAA over the past 12 months.
“The two most common breakdowns we experienced for mobility scooters during the pilot were flat tyres (68 per cent of callouts), and flat or faulty batteries (15 per cent),” said Mr Borlace.
“In many cases, the Patrol actually attended the member’s home to help them out, after they found their scooter had a flat tyre or wouldn’t start just prior to taking a trip.
“If the member is located on the roadside when their mobility scooter breaks down though, our Patrols will do all they can to get it going again.
“If it’s not possible, they’ll make arrangements to get the member and their scooter home or to a place of repair.
“Almost 40 per cent of RAA’s members are aged over 60, and this segment of our membership base continues to grow.
“With this in mind, we knew we needed to investigate new ways to ensure we could continue to meet their changing mobility needs throughout their lives.
“And with Road Service Membership they can be assured that if they ever experience a breakdown on their mobility scooter, RAA will be there to help, just like we have helped with their vehicle in the past.”
Roadside assistance for mobility scooters is available to RAA Road Service Members in both Adelaide and regional SA. To find out more, phone 08 8202 4610, visit raa.com.au or drop into your local RAA Shop.
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