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Ask Dr. Sue
FOLDABLE SCOOTERS
Dr. Sue,
How safe are the foldable scooters that I am seeing
everywhere? My son, who will be seven in April, wants
one for his birthday.
Concerned Mom
Dear Mom,
Many people have the mistaken impression that scooters
are safer than bikes or skates, since they are low to
the ground and powered just by the child's own pushes.
The new scooters, though, are very different than the
heavier, bulkier ones that kids rode several decades
ago. The new models are made of very lightweight
aluminum and have small, low-friction (therefore faster)
wheels.
The new scooters have become a nationwide fad in the
last year, and sales are booming. Injuries are
booming as well; in September of 2000 injuries due to
scooters outpaced those due to in-line skates for the
first time ever. There were 8630 emergency room
visits that month for scooter-related injuries.
There were at least 30,000 visits for such injuries
during the period between January and mid November,
2000. Most of these injuries have been to children
under 15 years old, and most involve fractures or
dislocations, usually to the arms or hands. There
have also been four deaths attributed to scooter-riding;
two involving collisions with cars, and two from head
injuries during an unprotected fall.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 60
percent of scooter-related injuries could be prevented
or reduced in severity by the use of good quality
protective gear, which can be purchased for less than
$35. The most crucial piece of safety equipment is
a helmet, which must have a label saying that it meets
or exceeds CPSC guidelines (or it may say meets ANSI,
SNELL or ASTM approved). Knee and elbow pads
provide some protection to the long bones of the
extremities, as well as cutting down on painful scrapes
and bruises. Wrist guards are also helpful.
If you decide to buy your son a scooter:
-
Insist on safe behavior, along with
the protective gear.
-
Make sure your child rides on smooth,
paved surfaces without any traffic. Avoid
surfaces made slippery by rain or ice. Avoid
sandy and graveled areas.
-
Make sure he knows he can NEVER ride
in the street.
-
Don't allow him to ride at night.
-
No sandals, no barefoot riding.
-
Never hitch a ride with a bike or a
car.
-
No double riding.
-
Stand up straight; leaning too far
forward can cause a loss of steering control.
And for parents:
-
Any child under age eight should ride
only with adult supervision.
-
Buy a scooter with an appropriate
weight load for your child's size.
-
Look for a scooter with somewhat
larger wheels, which will be less likely to get
stuck in gaps in the pavements.
-
If you try out the scooter yourself,
wear a helmet! (One of the head injury deaths
was an adult.)
Those of you who have already purchased
scooters for your children should be aware of three
models that have been recalled by the CPSC. If
your child has one of these, have them stop using them
immediately.
-
Kent Kickin' Mini-Scooter.
(Sold at Toys "R" Us stores, this scooter was
recalled because the handles can come out of the
steering column.) Call 1-800-451-5368 to
receive a free replacement handlebar.
-
Kash 'N Gold Racer X20 Scooter.
The plastic joint between the handlebars on these
models has a tendency to break. You may return
the Racer X20 scooter to the store where you
purchased it for a refund or a replacement.
Call 1-800-354-8785 with any questions.
-
Excite Super Speeder II and Viper
models. Call 1-888-571-3731.
 
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