Two Otago
Polytechnic students are excited a mobility scooter seminar
they helped organised may be repeated.
As part of their course, third-year occupational therapy
students had to plan and carry out a community event, so
Sarah Johnston and Stephanie Knowles (both 21) worked with
the Mosgiel RSA and Mosgiel police to organise the seminar.
The aim of the day, held at the RSA on Tuesday, was to raise
awareness of mobility scooters among other road users and
pedestrians, and to offer scooter users the chance to brush
up on their manoeuvering skills, the students said.
About 100
people attended, including a group from Balclutha.
Ms Johnston said she and Ms Knowles had handed their seminar
plan and resources over to the RSA and had been told the RSA
hoped to obtain funding to repeat the seminar.
"We have been told there is a big gap in mobility scooter
awareness education and a need for more seminars like this.
"It is exciting to think the idea might expand," Ms Johnston
said.
On Thursday, she and MsKnowles met Dunedin City Council road
safety adviser Henriette Rawlings to discuss the seminar
concept and mobility awareness signs they had designed for
roadsides or car parks.
The response from Ms Rawlings had been positive, Ms Johnston
said, although regulations meant putting up awareness signs
in public places was probably not feasible.
No-one from the RSA could be reached for comment. Ms Rawlings
was not available for comment, either.
- allison.rudd@odt.co.nz
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