Power wheelchair users must be made aware of common sense speed considerations. There are no police enforcing wheelchair speed with radar and one must resist the temptation to travel as fast as their wheels will allow.

The most important factor is, as always, safety. Traveling quickly is hazardous for many obvious reasons. The reaction time window for avoiding obstacles is reduced proportionate to the speed one is traveling at, and there is a greater risk for accidents. Even if the rider is able to stop in time to avoid a sudden hazard, such as a pedestrian dashing in front of the path of the wheelchair, the force of the short stop can injure the rider and even through him/her from the chair!

So how fast is too fast? This varies on the situation and surroundings, as well as the physical condition of the rider. One must consider the possible obstacles that can suddenly appear and the reaction reflexes and physical ability to execute and withstand successful sudden deceleration

Indoors, the maximum recommended speed is five miles per hour. Things seem to be moving faster indoors, while the same speed feels a lot slower outdoors. There are generally more obstacles indoors, and speed should therefore be reduced.

While outdoors, five miles per hour can sometimes be safely exceeded. But one must be considerate if being accompanied by someone walking by foot. The average walking speed is three miles per hour, which may seem slow for the person riding in the wheelchair.

Modern direct drive wheelchairs usually have settings to adjust the maximum speed. Direct drive chairs usually have automatic braking with a control setting for deceleration speed as well. When set properly, these controls contribute greatly to the safety of the power wheelchair user and should be used