Child and Adolescent Clinic - Foldable Scooters

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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