Winter can be a challenging time for anyone, with or without mobility challenges. Our Mobius Mobility team in New Hampshire is certainly no stranger to ice and snow! These extremes can cause accidents on roadways and derail plans. Freezing temperatures regularly cause car batteries to die, and people are forced to bundle up in layers when going outside.
The challenges that winter brings are exponentially larger for those facing mobility issues. A treacherous and icy sidewalk for someone wearing winter boots becomes a completely impassable barrier for someone in a mobility device with poor traction. For this reason, it’s important that people who use mobility devices have a plan for the winter season. Let’s dig into some tips and tricks for tackling the coldest winter months.
Salt, Moisture, Snow, and Your Power Wheelchair
While it’s important to maintain a clean device in any season, the winter months can cause more harmful damage to your device at a quicker rate. Road salts and treatments as well as dramatically low temperatures can cause erosion or tire pressures issues that can build up quickly.
For this reason, it’s even more important to keep your device properly clean and dry in the colder months. We recommend getting in the habit of weekly cleanings to keep harmful salt from building up on your device.
The ibot® PMD is built with sealed housing, so a simple garden hose can keep our devices clean and maintained in cold weather.
Battery Performance Considerations in Frigid Temps
In colder months, battery performance is a problem for everyone, and car batteries and power wheelchair batteries alike tend to die quickly.
Remember that the longevity of your battery power may diminish in colder temperatures. We recommend storing your device inside during the winter in a warm and dry space, to prevent battery issues that could stop a user in their tracks. Make sure to charge your device whenever the battery life gets low and keep an eye on battery health from day to day to be sure you’re never taken by surprise.
Public Accessibility Awareness
While most states require property owners to maintain safe and clear walkways, this isn’t always the case. It’s important to consider routes carefully during the snowier months to avoid getting blocked by a snow-covered road or path!
Luckily, the ibot® PMD can tackle winter weather in 4-wheel mode, reducing many accessibility issues for our users in snowy months!
Stay Warm – Don’t Forget to Take Care of Yourself!
The colder months can take a physical toll on our bodies and can have an even bigger impact on people with disabilities. For example, staying hydrated and moisturizing skin, while important for anyone, is also more critical to people with certain disabilities.
Don’t be afraid to check in with a friend and keep a list of emergency contacts on hand when heading out in the snow.
At Mobius Mobility, we want our users to get out and #reachclimbgo, even in these colder months. So, with these safety tips in mind, put your ibot® PMD in 4-wheel mode, and head out on an adventure; we know you won’t let a little snow stop you.
