Scooters are an amazing way to help a rambunctious child burn energy with a fun activity. And while most times, kids will ride scooters without any accidents, safety precautions should always be taken. There are always dangers that come with riding a vehicle, but these dangers can be greatly decreased if parents follow safety precautions when allowing their kids to ride scooters. Listed below are five tips that will help ensure your child’s safety.
One: Always Wear A Helmet, Elbow, And Knee Protection
This is an extremely important step to follow. No matter how much a child complains about having to wear the helmet, elbow, and knee protection, this safety gear could mean the difference between an annoying fall and a trip to the emergency room.
Two: Practice Makes Perfect
Although scooters are easy enough for anyone to ride, in the beginning the child should have a handful of practice runs before embarking out on his own. The child should practice riding the scooter on a flat surface under the careful supervision of the parent. Then the child and the parent can assess that he has adequate skill level before letting him go on longer adventures. This way the parent can be sure that the child has acquired the basic amount of coordination and skill-level needed to ride the scooter safely.
Three: Anybody Between Four-Eight Years Old Should Always Have Supervision
While it may be easy to leave a child to play around with the scooter in a confined area, if he is between four to eight years old, the child should always be supervised. Anyone younger than four is obviously not ready to ride a scooter, but anyone eight or under is not ready to ride without supervision. This will help ensure the child is riding safely and not attempting to do anything too dangerous while on the scooter.
Four: Only Ride Scooters On Flat Surfaces
Streets are busier than ever, bustling with cars, trucks, buses, pedestrians, and bikers. They are also eroded from the constant traffic. They are no longer a safe place to let a kid ride a scooter. Generally, areas with reasonable amounts of flat surfaces should be scouted as an area where the kid can spend some quality time with his scooter. This minimizes the chances of the child hurting himself by falling, or getting into a collision with another vehicle or person. By literally eliminating the bumps on the road the child can have a safe and fun time riding his scooter.
Five: Don’t Let The Child Ride Barefoot
This may seem a given, but riding barefoot happens surprisingly often. But this practice can be exceedingly dangerous. To ride a scooter, the child has to kick the ground, and in doing so can damage his foot or fall off his scooter, because he isn’t able to do so properly without shoes. He should also always wear close-toed shoes, instead of open ones like sandals. This will help minimize any chance of an accident.
If these tips are followed, a child should have many happy years of riding on his scooter. Kids love scooters and for good reason: it gives them a sense of autonomy and adventure. And for parents, they can rest easy knowing their kid is enjoying an exciting and safe activity.