Scooter Safety Information

This Is Important Information, Please Read It Carefully.

Safety Starts Before You Get On The Scooter

Young Riders

Protective Gear

Where and When You Ride

Quick Safety Check List

This Is Important Information, Please Read It Carefully.

The first thing you need to be aware of……. is just how dangerous riding a scooter can be, if you don’t do it right. A lot of people end up in Hospital Emergency Rooms with scooter related injuries and a lot of those injuries did not have to happen. Many of these emergencies are due to kids riding scooters without due caution….. as kids will be and a lot of these injuries could have been prevented…… if only the rider had been wearing protective head gear, pads and riding safely. The helmet is critical to safe riding and protection from serious head injuries.

Scooter Safety is an important subject for everyone who rides Scooters, or who have children who ride Scooters. Do not under estimate the danger that can be associated with riding an Electric Scooter, and this include adults as well as children.

Safety Starts Before You Get On The Scooter

You need to have protective gear on and your Scooter needs to be in a safe condition. If you don’t have a safe, well maintained Scooter, you can not have a safe riding trip. The most important things you can do to have a safe ride is to make sure your Scooter is in good mechanical condition, and use good old common sense when riding. An Electric Scooter, that is maintained properly will be less likely of being the cause of an accident. Keep your Scooter well maintained with regular check ups. Don’t assume they will run for ever with out some regular maintenance. For more detailed information on maintaining your Scooter please go to our Electric Scooter Maintenance page.

Riding Scooters have many of the same risks as bike riding, but there are some important differences and there are different safety factors come in to play between them. Scooters can travel faster than most bikes which makes everything happen quicker. The low profile of most Scooters, means they are as visible as bikes are and other motorist may not see you and that can be very dangerous. When you ride you must pay close attention to traffic, you have to keep an eye on them because they may not be keeping an eye on you. Stay vigilant, it may save your life. Because Electric Scooter are motor powered vehicles, they come under many of the same traffic laws and regulations that automobile drivers do.

The quickest way to get into an accident on a Scooter is to do something suddenly in traffic, turn, change lanes, stop or anything you might do without first signaling the drivers behind you, so they will know what you intend to do. Don’t assume there is no one behind you…. look and make sure before you do something that may effect the people behind you. If other drivers do not see you or they are not aware of what you are going to do, your risk of having a serious accident increases significantly.

If you are doing trick riding, racing, off road riding or just being crazy on a scooter you better have all your protective gear on and know what your are doing. Take it easy until you become really experienced in what you are attempted to do. That kind of riding can be fun but it’s dangerous…… so be careful, accidents, broken legs and serious injuries are not fun!!

Young Riders

Children represent a special problem associated with riding Electric Scooters, as they usually do not have experience in driving a motor vehicle (which is what an electric scooter is) and they probably are not very familiar with traffic laws or what common guidelines are used when driving. If you are letting your children ride Electric Scooters, you have the responsibility of making sure they are familiar with safety guidelines and are well instructed in the operation of the Electric Scooter. This is your child, help protect them and don’t take it for granted that they know…. make sure they do! You should not let your child ride an Electric Scooter who has not been properly instructed how to operate it. Low Powered Scooters are much more suitable for pre-teens and they are a good way to start out in teaching you child how to ride safely. Supervise you children until you are completely sure they know how to ride, they understand the danger of riding in traffic and they have a good basic understand of traffic laws and how to ride defensively. If you are going to let your children ride Electric Scooters on public streets, then you have an obligation to make sure they are experienced riders and they really understand the basic laws, rules and guide lines, that need to be observed when riding in traffic.

Children under the age of ten are often involved in most Scooter accidents. Electric Scooters can move very fast and many younger children have difficulties controlling a scooter at high speeds. You as a parent, have a serious responsibility in deciding if you are going to let your younger children ride Electric Scooters. It is commonly recommended that children 16 and under should not be allowed to ride Electric Scooters on public streets. Some state laws may make it illegal for children under the age of 18 to ride on public streets. Check with local law enforcement for more information pertaining to your locality.

Protective Gear

Protective Gear provides the rider with Preventive Safety and can significantly reduce the chances of a serious injury or the severity of an injury. Riding Electric Scooters will expose the rider to many of the same risks as riding bikes. Neither one offers a lot of protection in the event of impact, that you might receive with riding in a car with seat belts on. So in order to give the rider the best possible protection while riding, protective gear must be worn.

The Helmet:

The helmet is the most essential protection you can use for the safe riding! The helmet protects a rider against the worst kind of injury, an injury to the head. In many accidents, the use of a helmet has been the difference between life and death, or permanent paralysis. Always wear an approved helmet that is certified by one of the major helmet approval organizations. For more information on Helmet Safety please go to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute at http://www.bhsi.org It is very important the helmet has a chin strap to ensure that it stay in place. It is critical that you wear the chin strap or the helmet may not be there during an accident to help protect you. Some state require that a helmet be worn when riding scooters so be sure to check with state and local laws and regulations.

There are statistics that support why helmets should be use when riding. Safety Organization who keep track of accidents and safety related issues, state that over 80% of cyclists who have accidents resulting in a serious head injury, could have prevented a serious head injury, or the severity of an injury could have been significantly reduced……… if only they had been wearing a helmet. Given the similarities between Electric Scooters and Cycles, the protection from serious head injury afforded by the helmet, will provide the Electric Scooter rider the same protection as the Cycles. The helmet also provide important protection by cushion the impact of less serious accidents that could occur from a fall or a collision with something.

Many old helmets may not provide good protection and you may want to discard the old one for a new helmet and take advantage of the latest helmet technology and research. In addition to the improved safety features of newer helmets, they also have been designed for more riding comfort and are definitely much better looking.

Pads……Knee Pads, Elbow Pads and Good Shoes:

Although these are optional safety equipment, together with the helmet they give you the best protection you can get on a Scooter. Pads should be seriously considered, depending on the type of riding you will be doing. the age of the rider, and especially with kids who like to push the limits on any thing they ride. Bare foot riding is a bad idea….. and you risk some bad injuries if something goes wrong. Knee and Elbow Pads are not expensive and easy to put on……. so get in the habit of using them. When the fall comes, and it most surely will come, you will be glad you had your Pads on. Some may not think of shoes as protective gear….. but they are and they play an important role in safe riding. Shoes help you maintain good footing when your riding and if you lose your balance and have to jump or you take a bad fall, you will be glad you had your shoes on to. Don’t ride without shoes.

Where and When You Ride

Riding Electric Scooter at night is risky business and can be very dangerous, even if your Electric Scooter has head lights, tail lights and reflectors. Scooters are small and not easy to see, especially at night and your vision is greatly reduced making things even more risky.

If you are riding in wet weather, remember your traction is not as good and it’s easy to go into a slide or not be able to stop as quickly as usual. Slow down, take it easy…… you can not safely ride the same on wet payment as you would normally do on dry payment. Adjust your ride when the weather becomes a factor making roads slippery and much hard to control the Scooter. Also be aware that rain, water and Electrics Powered Scooters are not a good mix. Electricity and electrical parts can short out it then get wet or take on too much moisture. You should avoid riding in the rain or through standing water.

Quick Safety Check List

General Safety

1. Riders must comply with all local laws and regulations. Check with your local police or Department of Motor Vehicles to determine local requirements. Pay special attention to local helmet laws. Licensing and registration varies from state to state.
2. The Electric Scooter is not a toy, it is a Motor Power Vehicle and must considered as such.
3. Electric Scooters are design for one rider only and are not safe with more than one rider.
4. Do not tow anything with your Scooter.
5. Always wear an approved helmet.
6. Elbow and Knee Pads should also be consider as they will protect you from laceration in case of a fall.
7. Do not operate the Electric Scooter at night. You may not be easily visible to pedestrians or other vehicles.
8. If you have to ride at night make sure you have some kind of reflective gear on.
9. Ride only on smooth hard surface. The Electric Scooter is not designed to be used in off road conditions.
10. Use caution when rolling over obstacles or major holes in the road.
11. Insurance policies may not provide cover you for accidents involving your Scooter. Contact your insurance agent for more information.
12. The electric motor, batteries, and controls can be damaged if exposed to water. Do not allow the Electric Scooter to be used in the rain, nor to be drive though puddles of water.

Mechanical Safety

1. Before riding, make a quick check of the Scooter to make sure nothing has come loose or broken. If you do regular check ups and maintain good preventive maintenance this will usually keep your Scooter in good working condition.
2. Make sure the handlebar and seat is correct height for you. This is more important than you might think for safe riding. It will also make your ride much more comfortable. The rider's hands must be able to easily grasp the handlebar controls. Feet must rest comfortably on the foot rest area.
3. Maintain proper air pressure in the tires. Low air pressure induces extra rolling friction, reduces ground clearance, and wears the tires quicker.
4. Always deflate the tire before disassembling the wheel. Failure to deflate the tire could cause the wheel to come apart explosively.
5. If the brake lever touches the handlebar grip, stop and adjust the lever.

Battery Information

1. Completely charge the battery before riding your Electric Scooter.
2. Disconnect the battery from the motor lead when not in use.
3. Use caution when recharging the batteries. Do not recharge in an area that will allow the Electric Scooter or the charging unit to become wet. Recharge only in an area that is well ventilated.
4. Keep children away from the Electric Scooter while it is being recharged.
5. Do not ride your Scooter or charge the Scooter if you see any wires that have become worn, broken, or damaged in any way. Don’t wait and ride…. repair them before your next ride. You don’t want to be 10 miles away have your Scooter stop running.
6. Do not use the Electric Scooter battery to power or recharge any other equipment.
7. Do not modify your Electric Scooter’s electrical controls or writing.
8. Do not block the air vents on the charging unit. If blocked, the charging unit may overheat and burn out or possible cause a fire hazard.
9. If you need to replace a blown fuse on the Scooter or the charging unit, make sure you use the correct fuse with the correct amperage. If you use the wrong amperage you could damage the electrical systems.

Protective Gear

1. Always ware your helmet and the Chin Strap.
2. Knee Pads are recommended.
3. Elbow Pads are recommended.
4. Shoes are a must.