SCOOTER SAFETY

      Scooters continue to be popular.  Unfortunately, injuries involving children who ride them have skyrocketed.  According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), more than 4,000 children went to the emergency room because of scooter accidents in August of 2001. 

   Of the 9,400 people injured from January through August, 90 percent were younger than 15 and nearly one-third were younger than 8, prompting CPSC to recommend close adult supervision for children age 7 or younger.

   Most injuries – broken or dislocated arms, hands or fingers – occurred when children fell from their scooters.  CPSC recommends the following safety guidelines when riding scooters:

• Wear a helmet that meets CPSC’s standard, plus knee and elbow pads.
• Ride on smooth, paved surfaces without traffic.  Avoid streets or surfaces with water, sand, gravel or dirt.
• Do not ride a scooter at night.