Hot Selling Scooters Pose Safety Risk

NEW YORK — If there is going to be one hot gift item this holiday shopping season, it is going to be scooters. And they’re not just for kids anymore; the young at heart are riding them too. The new scooters are faster, sleeker and more portable than their predecessors. As sales soar, the Insurance Information Institute (III) warns kids (and adults) to learn a few safety tips when riding.

Scooters are not as harmless as they look. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that scooter injuries have nearly doubled each month since May; in August alone, 4,000 injuries required emergency room visits. Nearly 90 percent of those injured involved children under age 15. Twenty-nine percent of those injuries were fractures and dislocations, 28 percent lacerations, 17 percent bruises and abrasions and 15 percent strains and sprains. In September , a six-year-old-boy died in New Jersey from a scooter accident. The CPSC estimates that 63 percent of the 9,400 scooter-related injuries so far this year, could have been prevented with protective gear.

The III offers the following safety tip when riding a scooter:

Wear protective gear, including a helmet, pads, or guards on the arms, wrists and knees.

Be sure to wear proper shoes, not flip-flops; do not ride bare feet.

Never ride a scooter at night. Unlike bikes, scooters don’t have reflectors/

Children under age 8 should always be supervised by an adult. Older kids should be supervised if crossing streets.

In many states, riders are required to wear helmets on bicycles and skateboards, and bills are pending to require helmets while on foot-powered scooters. Some schools have also banned scooters from the premises. Contact schools and local police precincts to find out what rules apply in your area. According to the III, if you injure someone while on a scooter, a standard homeowners insurance policy will offer you liability protection. Motorized scooters, however, are not covered under a standard homeowners policy nor are they legal in many states, where allowed, they are considered a motorized vehicle and therefore require a separate policy.

So whether scooting to the grocery store, to the movies or just cruising ‘round the neighborhood, learn the rules and scoot responsibly.

The Insurance Information Institute is the non-profit communications organization of the property casualty industry.