Wednesday, September 06, 2000
Scooter injuries zoom up
By Christine Oliva
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Mom always said to wear your helmet.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reiterated that advice, but it wasn't in reference to bikes, skateboards or even in-line skates.
The commission announced Tuesday that scooter-related injuries treated in emergency rooms nationwide have increased 700 percent since May.
Most of those injuries — 4,000 in August alone — could have been prevented with a little common sense.
“There's an element of risk involved in anything we do in life,” said Michael May, director of communications for the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association in North Palm Beach, Fla. “So many problems can be prevented with an ounce of thought beforehand.”
The most-effective precaution that scooter aficionados can take is to wear protective gear, said Steve Pieper, manager of Montgomery Cyclery on Montgomery Road.
“People should wear helmets, knee pads, elbow pads and wrist guards,” Mr. Pieper said. “If you fall off, you don't want to get scraped up.”
So far, Cincinnati emergency rooms and pediatricians have reported few scooter-related injuries.
Brenda Flannery of Mount Lookout agrees precautions are in order. Her two sons, Alex, 7, and Ryan, 9, have shared a scooter for three years and from the very start, she has made them wear helmets.
Now that she's heard the commission's report, she's considering making the boys wear even more protective gear.
“When they (her sons) go Rollerblading, they wear wrist guards and knee pads — in addition to helmets,” she said. “I think maybe there are some things to add” while they ride their scooter.
But Mrs. Flannery also said she wasn't too worried about the commission report. “When I'm outside, I watch them and make sure they don't do anything crazy.”
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