Looking for a cool gift for your child that they can take outside and enjoy some fresh air? It’s no secret that electric scooters for kids are popular toys that children just love. So, are electric scooters safe for kids? Yes, absolutely!
Similar to a bike, an e-scooter does require some safety training that your children should learn before riding it. Therefore, before you buy an e-scooter for your child, we’ll address the most common concerns you might have about the safety of electric scooters for kids.
First, when buying electric scooters for kids, you need to factor in your child’s personality. Is your child active and adventurous? Do they enjoy trying new things? If your answer is “yes,” then your child will probably enjoy riding an e-scooter.
Second, your child’s age and maturity should be considered when buying them an e-scooter. If they’re calm and cautious, they’ll know right away that they need to take it easy when riding an electric scooter. If they’re risk-takers (and we know some kids don’t listen to their parents), it’s your responsibility to tell them that going too fast on an e-scooter can end in serious injuries.
Moreover, does your child know how to ride a regular bike? If so, do they enjoy it? If your kid already feels comfortable riding a bike, they’re already one step ahead and you can feel confident that they’ll be able to learn how to ride an e-scooter. If your child doesn’t know how to ride a bike yet or lacks physical coordination, we recommend slower and less powerful e-scooters.
When it comes to purchasing electric scooters for kids, picking the largest model may not be the wisest choice. You need to consider your child’s height. For instance, if your kid is small, a lighter and smaller version is most appropriate. On the other hand, if your child is big or taller than their average age, go for a heavier and larger version.
When deciding what size of e-scooter you should get, take a look at the height of the seat, handlebars, and the standing deck. Your child should be able to sit on the seat and place their hands on the handlebars comfortably, without any strain. Purchasing the right-sized e-scooter for your kid ensures a safe riding experience.
Similar to riding a bike, your kid should always start slow when riding an electric scooter. It’s easy to get excited when your child gets their first e-scooter and is tempted to ride at maximum speed. Just like any kind of motorized vehicle, though, if you ride too fast and you don’t have the experience to steer it, your child could veer out of control and get hurt.
As a general rule of thumb, before your child starts zipping away on their e-scooter, first ask them what they think when they’re evaluating different speeds on their e-scooter. Go out with them on your driveway and sidewalk, and let them start slowly. They can practice getting used to the different speeds and learn how to brake.
Starting slow on an e-scooter gives your child the opportunity to learn how to balance themselves properly, and accelerate and brake at their comfort level. To help build their confidence, stand behind them while they get used to balancing themselves on one leg, and push the e-scooter a little before they press the acceleration button. Remind them that if they press the acceleration button right away, they can lose their balance and fall.
If your child wants to ride to school with their new e-scooter, they’re probably going to have their backpack on them. Even though it’s not dangerous to ride an e-scooter with a backpack, teach your child that they should never hang their school bag on the electric scooter’s handlebars.
Remind them that it’s unsafe to hang their backpack or any other kind of bag on the handlebars because it can throw them off balance and get them injured.
Most of the time, e-scooters are used by kids during the spring and summer. This is usually the time when they wear flip-flops, sandals, or even go barefoot (when they’re at the beach). Unfortunately, wearing the wrong footwear can spell danger for your child.
When your kid is riding their e-scooter, they have to wear anti-slip shoes or running shoes at all times, as they provide a good hold on the standing grip and prevent slips and falls. However, keep in mind that even if your child is wearing running shoes on their e-scooter, if it has shoelaces, they could get in the way or get caught in a wheel if they come undone. In this case, it will cause a tumble.
To prevent any kind of shoe problems from occurring while your child rides their e-scooter, opt for slip-in anti-slip shoes that don’t have shoelaces.
As a parent, one thing is certain: electric scooters for kids shouldn’t be used as toys in a make-believe world. You need to teach them about traffic safety rules before they start riding their e-scooter outside in public areas.
Here are a few good tips to teach your kids how to behave properly in traffic with an e-scooter:
Observe cars and the flow of traffic from all directions.
When crossing a street or pedestrian crossing, push the e-scooter, rather than ride it.
Only ride their electric scooters on bicycle paths.
Always give pedestrians the right of way.
After teaching your kids about traffic safety rules, set aside a few hours to go out with them with their e-scooter and go through the tips above in real time. This way, you can feel confident that they will be safe when they ride.
Along with teaching them traffic safety rules, before your child rides their e-scooter, they need to learn how to put on and wear a helmet, as well as knee and arm pads. You can also add some lights and a bell on their e-scooter for an extra layer of safety.
Are you interested in our electric scooters for kids? Want to know if an electric scooter is safe? If you have any questions about our e-scooters and their benefits, contact Knotty Scooters at info@knottyscooters.ca or send us a message here, and we’ll get back to you within 24-48 hours.