Powered Mobility Manual - Cerebral Palsy Alliance

introduction, philosophy | 1wheelchair is used. Provide educationon the process of supervision, structurethrough a skill development programand outcome measures via goal setting.Any risk assessment should be sourced,owned and completed by the service orprogram requesting it. Use a problemsolving approach to negotiate anyremaining areas of contention andremember to reinforce to others thatmobility skills take time and support todevelop, just like when we learn to walk.Q‘If my client is going to use thepowered wheelchair in thecommunity, do they use the footpathor the road?’ ‘In that case, do theyneed to be licensed?’The RTA was consulted during the preparationof this manual and its written response to theabove question was as follows:Motorised wheelchairs and other typesof disabled persons’ conveyances areexempt from registration and operatorsof these vehicles must comply with thesame road rules as pedestrians. This isprovided that they are used solely for theconveyance of a person with a disabilitythat substantially impairs the person’smobility and they are not capable oftravelling at more than 10 km/h or weighmore than 110 kg.• A person driving a motorised wheelchairunder these circumstances is definedas a pedestrian under the AustralianRoad Rules and is permitted to travel ona footpath or nature strip adjacent tothe road.• Operators are not required to hold adriver’s licence.• Motorised wheelchairs are not requiredto have third party insurance and in theevent of an accident are covered by thenominal defendant.• Wheelchairs weighing more than 110 kgand travelling more than 10 km/h cannotbe used on a road or road related area.(RTA, November, 2008)12