Scooter injuries in children in a midwestern metropolitan area

We describe the use of nonmotorized scooters and utilization of safety equipment in a Midwestern suburb.

Schoolchildren in second to sixth grades of a local school district completed a survey distributed by school nurses and teachers in spring 2001, including topics of scooter ownership, riding patterns, and utilization of safety gear.

Three thousand eighty-seven surveys were distributed, with a 74.4% response rate; 93.2% of children had ridden a scooter, and 71.4% owned a scooter. Children rode in many locations, with 93% riding on the sidewalk, 86.5% in the driveway, 35.5% in a parking lot, and 20% in the street. Of those owning scooters, 91.2% reported owning a helmet, 61.2% kneepads, 59.4% elbow pads, 43.8% wrist guards, and 35.5% riding gloves. Among those owning scooters, 54.6% reported wearing helmets while using their scooter, whereas 10% or less wore riding gloves, kneepads, elbow pads, or wrist guards. Helmet use decreased as grade increased; 50.7% of all second graders reported wearing helmets, compared with 22.7% of sixth graders (P < 0.001). Of those owning scooters, 32.2% reported being injured while riding their scooter. Of those injured, 54% reported wearing helmets.

Many children ride scooters and own safety gear; however, few children wear their safety equipment when riding their scooter. Children wear helmets less frequently as they age. Physicians should continue to educate patients and their parents as to potential injuries on scooters and encourage the use of safety gear, especially helmets, when riding scooters.