Electric scooters for kids have increased significantly in popularity over the past few years or so. They are a source of incredible fun for the children but carry an element of danger as well if the right safety rules are not adhered to.
Make sure your kid is driving their electric scooter with caution and high keenness since a lot of accidents occur when children lose concentration in their surroundings. There are several safety tips and rules you need to make your child aware of when driving their electric scooter. They include:
- Wearing the Proper Protective Gear
Sometimes, there’s nothing you can do to prevent an accident. As such, you need to make sure that your child always has the right proper protective gear on. When it comes to safety, there is no such thing as overkill.
Starting from the feet up to the head, your kid requires ankle caps, some knee, elbow, and shoulder straps, a helmet, gloves, and a mouthguard.
It’s also vital that the gear they wear is highly visible from a far-off distance, especially at night. It could prove the difference between life and death. The truth is if your child wears colors that will blend with the road or the dark, they will increase the risk of being hit by a car.
- Teach the Child to Check the Tires
According to Greenelectricscooters.ie having good tires will help your child ride their scooter a lot more safely. Because you won’t be there at all times when your kid is driving their electric scooter, you need to teach them how to check the tires before embarking on a ride.
The overall condition of the tire as well as the treads and tire pressure are some of the factors they should learn to inspect. They need to be able to decide without any adult supervision if the tire should be replaced or if it can sustain a drive safely.
- Have Good Situational Awareness of the Road and the Surrounding Environs
Teach your kid to gain full concentration while out on the road. They need to be well observant so that they are not caught unawares in emergency situations.
It’s important that they learn the importance of keeping a keen eye on the whole road so that they can keep their scooter in the appropriate lane.
- Keep a Watchful Eye on Potential Road Impediments
It’s very important that your child is well trained on avoiding road imperfections such as potholes, puddles, and speed bumps. You don’t need statistics to tell you that these imperfections are an obvious cause of a lot of accidents.
It’s important that the child does not panic or swerve when nearing a pothole or speed bump at a high speed. In such a scenario, the child should remain calm and slowly try to decrease their speed while at the same time bracing for impact. This can help them not fall off the scooter or collide with other road users.
Puddles will definitely form on the roads during the rainy season. For this reason, make sure your child drives the electric scooter slowly as some of these puddles may impact severe damage to the machine.
- Exercise Caution When Driving on Slippery Surfaces
Kids should be really careful when driving on slippery surfaces such as muddy and wet roads as they can be very difficult to navigate. Maintaining a slow and relaxed speed will help your child navigate the scooter safely with ease in slippery conditions.
- Teach Them How and When to Use Their Brakes
A highly common mistake children tend to make when driving electric scooters is using the front brakes. Unfortunately, this action significantly enhances the risk of the scooter slipping. The rear brakes, on the other hand, (quite literally) will help the scooter maintain steady motion while braking.
Another braking technique your child could do with learning is gentle braking. Using brakes significantly increases the risk of the scooter locking in its wheels. When the wheel locks as a result of high intense braking, it will cause the scooter to lose balance and ultimately, throw your kid off.
Gently applying brakes will help steady the scooter and bring it to a steady halt.
- Exercise Calm When Driving in Rainy Weather
Driving in the rain can be overwhelmingly scary, especially for children who are a bit distant from their homes. Treason the kids to avoid panicking and instead, maintain a calm mindset so they can navigate their way back home safely.
- Quit Riding If a Lightning Storm Hits
If your child has a lot of fun driving the scooter in the rain, you should make them aware that they should stop riding if lightning hits. Lightning is dangerous and can cause serious injuries, or worse, loss of life. Instruct your child that they should always look for shelter during a heavy downpour.
The Bottom Line
Driving electric scooters can be a lot of fun. It’s a great activity for children and should remain as such without putting the kids’ lives at risk or the lives of other road users. Hopefully, the tips highlighted above will ensure that your kid enjoys driving electric scooters in the safest way possible.
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