GoDRIVE: Climbing a Steep Hill

How to maneuver an electric wheelchair up an Incline:

In this goDRIVE video, we show you how to maneuver an electric wheelchair up an incline or steep hill. This can be a stressful situation for the beginner electric wheelchair driver. The key is to remain calm and trust your chair to do the work for you.

1. Always drive straight up the incline, NEVER turn to drive back down the hill (this is the same principle as driving your car up a steep hill).
2. Increase the speed control to FULL SPEED. This will give your chair the most power to climb up the hill.
3. IF you can’t make it to the top…DON’T PANIC!!!
4. Keep your chair pointed up the hill, and slowly drive backwards back down the hill. This takes some practice because our natural tendency is to turn around, but that is the WORST thing you can do.
5. Just like driving a Jeep up a rouged 4×4 trail, you always back down the hill if you can’t make it the first time.
6. IF you try to turn around in your wheelchair it may tip over, because electric wheelchairs do not have stocks to help balance you while on a steep sidehill.
7. Practice on small inclines FIRST to learn how to drive backwards down the hill.
8. In no time at all, you will be climbing the steepest hills around, it’s all about driving technique.

This has been another goDRIVE electric wheelchair driving tip video from Michele, our CEO.