Controlling your speed in a wheelchair

Learning how to manage your speed will keep you in control of your chair. Managing speed can help you avoid accidents and feel more confident in different situations and environments. 

In this guide, we’ll cover how to manage your speed in a safe and positive way.

What you’ll learn

• Understand how to manage the speed you travel
• Control your speed effectively
• Recognise what a safe speed is in different situations

What you need to know about speed control

Wheelchair speed control is about understanding risks and acting responsibly. You never want to put yourself or anyone around you at risk – and you don’t need to, if you follow our advice.

Here are some helpful tips:

1. Move more slowly in congested areas or corridors
2. Slow down around other people and potential hazards to reduce the likelihood of a crash or collision
3. Keep speed low on wet, icy or other slippery surfaces
4. Take extra care and move slowly when passing through doors, travelling on slopes, or moving between different surfaces

How to control your speed

We’ve split this into two sections for people using manual wheelchairs and those using powerchairs.

Controlling your speed in a manual wheelchair

1. To go faster, push with more force as you move forward
2. To slow down, stop pushing and lightly grip the push-rims. The harder you grip, the quicker you’ll reduce speed.
3. Always keep your hands ready to grip the rims if you need to stop suddenly

The smoother you are at moving your wheelchair, the better you’ll be at stopping. 

Controlling your speed in a powerchair

1. To increase speed, use the speed control button to go up one level at a time
2. Use the speed control button to slow down
3. Reduce speed gradually by going down one speed level at a time

You’ll find that powerchairs respond quickly to speed adjustments. Making small and gradual changes can help you to stay in control, even in emergencies.