Scooting Safety – How To Avoid Accidents When Riding
You’ve purchased the perfect gift for your child- a new scooter. There’s no better way to get them outdoors and to be active than investing in this two wheeled treat. Luckily they come in all shapes and sizes and there’s one to suit everyone’s budget and style. Once they’ve opened their gift it won’t be long before they want to head out and explore. As a parent their first trip can be daunting. A few scrapes and bumps are inevitable but there are precautions you can take to reduce the risk of this happening. Continue reading to find out how you can help them avoid accidents when riding.
Safety Equipment
Your kids scooter will bring them so much happiness and joy but making your child aware of the potential risks is essential. Getting them into the habit of wearing personal protective equipment from an early age is a great idea. The most important piece of safety gear you’ll invest in is a helmet. Choosing a helmet that fits well could mean the difference between a serious injury and a few superficial scratches. The chin strap should be fastened firmly without any twists before you can do the ‘push test’ to check that it’s a perfect fit. To complete this old favourite and reliable test it’s simple, push the helmet backwards, forwards and towards each side and if the helmet moves or slides then it’s too big. It’s also important to buy a brand new helmet for your child rather than take a second hand one. Although this sounds extravagant, you never know if an old helmet has previously been damaged as this could compromise its integrity. You can also ramp up the stakes when it comes to protection by purchasing knee and elbow pads for your child. They’re not as bulky and large as they used to be, making them more discreet and comfortable to wear.
Practice
It’s a good idea to let your child become familiar and feel comfortable with their new scooter in a safe space before allowing them the freedom to scoot off without you. If you have a large outdoor space at home or a local park nearby then spend some time guiding them as they ride close by in order to teach them new important skills and how to be safe on their scooters. Teaching your child to look around and assess the environment is key to helping them to avoid accidents. Asking them to stand with their scooter and count to three whilst looking around them before they set off is a memorable way to help them assess before riding. Getting them to wear bright clothing or high visibility gear is a great way to make them more visible to others around them. If they get carried away and speed off a little quickly then it makes them easily identifiable for the public.
Child Friendly Road Safety
There’s tools online and resources that can help your educate your children about road safety. Although they won’t be riding their scooter on the road they may need to travel on the footpath to the local park or to a friends house so it’s a good idea to educate them early. It will also give the positive foundations for later endeavours such as cycling and even driving when that time comes. If you don’t find anything that’s suitable online you could search for local community classes that help youngsters stay safe whilst scooting in public. Also a great way to meet new friends and scooting enthusiasts alike.
Summary
Teaching your child how to ride a scooter will be a hugely enjoyable experience for both you and your child, and is something that you’ll cherish for the rest of your life. However, safety when riding should always be paramount, and by considering the points above you can help you child stay safe whilst riding and allow them to focus on enjoying their time exploring the outdoors.
