10yo scooting without helmet

I see about 30/40 kids a day on scooters on the morning school run, today was the first time I have ever seen a kid on a scooter with a helmet.

I actually noticed it because it was so unusual, this kid was about 7/8 but none of the others were, even the nursery class.

I would make her wear one but I’m risk averse. If it has wheels, you’re wearing a helmet was my rule.

I don't make my kids wear helmets on bikes unless they are mountain biking or racing. It's an unpopular opinion in the UK but completely standard in countries that use bikes a lot - Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium.

Same as a pp, if it has wheels, you wear a helmet

Unless she's doing stunts at a skate park or on a pump track etc I wouldn't insist on a helmet for a scooter for a 10 year old (but absolutely would for a bike) At 10 there's a very big difference in how fast they could be going on a bike vs how fast they are likely to be going on a scooter. I think it's a shame she's being put of a healthy activity because of this so I would relax. She could hit her head falling off a climbing frame, from a tree, running fast down a hill etc. I think the fact that she's come and asked you nicely shows it's really bothering her.

Never see kids wearing helmets around here

I saw a kid scooting on the pavement without a helmet a few years ago. He went in a pot hole and I ended up calling an ambulance. He had a chunk missing from his head. He went to hospital and was eventually fine, but it was a pretty harrowing ordeal.

My kids wear helmets if scooting, skateboarding or on a bike, and so do I.

My dd never wore a helmet whilst scooting. She has had four serious injuries in her childhood - two were whilst doing something innocuous (just bad luck); one was a slip at the park on wet ground (avoidable); and one was during a supervised safety exercise for an activity!

I think we have been lucky as she is extremely fast on her scooter, if you hit a bump going at speed you could easily fly off. Could you badly injure your head? I guess you could.

I think you are wise to stick to your guns.

I've never seen a child over the age of about four wearing a helmet on a scooter.

My line is drawn, if they are walking or running, no helmet needed. If they are on something with wheels, they need a helmet

Kids are on their bikes on the pavement/cycle paths, not in the road. My kids go faster on their scooters than they do their bikes, and when they have fallen off their scooters they've hit the floor hard and the helmet has saved their head

I don't think I've ever seen a kid wear a helmet on scooter unless they're doing stunts at a skate park.

I can't really see how a child is likely to injure their head more severely falling off a scooter than they are running along, or playing in a playground, or doing PE at school. Presumably you don't make your children wear helmets for that so why would she need one to use a scooter to get from A to B?

I've never insisted on helmets for scooters,only for bikes.

Scooters don't go nearly as fast as bikes (I can keep up with my kids on foot if they are scooting - I can't keep up with them on their bikes however fast I run), and as you are standing on them (rather than balancing like on a bike) it's much harder to imagine a scenario where you fall on your head.

I don't see a scenario where my child hits their head using their scooter that couldn't play out exactly the same way if they were running rather than on their scooter. I don't make them wear a helmet to run down the street!

Scooting is not comparable to walking imo.

Ours wore helmets for cycling and scooting from the very start (including when they were young and weren’t cycling on roads, just in the park or on the drive). It’s always been non negotiable. They certainly didn’t hang about on their scooters as they got older! I think a flat rule is easiest for everyone. No mulling it over is needed.

It’s the same now that they’re older, and into skateboarding, snowboarding etc. Helmets are worn.

Make the rules, stick to them. Job done.

I didn't insist on a helmet on a push scooter when used on the flat

An escooter is different - that's more akin to a bike, in my opinion. And using a push scooter at the skate park should probably require a helmet

I do understand what PP are saying, but short of insisting on a helmet every time a child leaves the house, you have to draw a line somewhere.

if it’s a push scooter on the flat and I’d not use a helmet but if she’s doing any sort of tricks or big downhill journeys then I’d encourage her to do so.

I don’t honestly see how the risk is much less than on a bike. DS can move at a fair old speed on his scooter.

Credit to her she’s come to us and asked rather than her usual screaming and whinging approach so I want to mull it over fairly.

A usual approach of screaming and whinging. She's 10 FFS not 2.

She's nearly secondary school age, and she shouldn't be screaming and whinging like a toddler having a tantrum.

High time she grew up before secondary school.

I'm assuming you are talking about a bog standard push scooter and not an eScooter which is a different beast.

I have seen a nasty concussion from a child going over backwards without a helmet on so like you I'm on the fence on this one but I'd rather my child be active than not.
There's a few factors that would go into my decision
Adult or stunt scooter - helmet. A the stunts and/or B the weight of the scooter
Landscape - steep hills and roads nearby eg on school run. Probably helmet
Tootling around the local flat part on a maxi micro 3 wheeled scooter, I wouldn't insist on a helmet.

Generally she needs to understand that she is getting bigger, taller and therefore heavier. With a proper two wheeled scooter she will pick up a lot more speed and needs to be safe. Evidence that she's not being sensible means either a helmet or no scooter.

Caveat, I have an adult scooter [albeit not used for ages as the kids have outgrown their scooters] and didn't wear a helmet. Given the speed I could pick up on a slope and how hard it is to brake and stay stable, I was very conservative on it. It's great fun and very easy to get places quickly with the kids in urban areas though.

I know someone who very nearly died after a crash on an e-scooter without a helmet. As in, coma, surgery, months in hospital.

I know it's not on the road, but I wouldn't risk it. I'd potentially allow it if cycling on paths away from roads, so through parks, along a wide promenade, but not along a pavement. There's a risk of the child not steering correctly/getting distracted and steering into the road, or coming off it and going into the road.

I think if it's a non negotiable from the first ride then they get used to it being the norm.

Mine are 7 and 9 and don't wear helmets. They're not going paticularly fast and don't ride on the road. They could probably run faster and don't wear helmets for that either.

Have a look on YouTube at the devastating impact not wearing g a helmet has had on some people’s lives. She may be careful but what if a bike or even a car hits her? Our kids were told a helmet was to be worn at all time and if they were ever caught without the bikes/scooters would be taken away. Tell your daughter to wise up and be the parent and keep her safe

Similar age DC and they don’t wear helmets on scooters. They don’t go all that fast. It’s not much different to if they fell over running, no faster. They’re not going down steep downhills or on the road.

But that would mean everyone should wear a helmet all the time even when walking?

It’s totally different. Scooters are on the pavement travelling slowly, barely more than jogging speed. Bikes are on the road with cars, travel much faster than a scooter and the cycling position means you’re more likely to fall on your head e.g. if you go over the handlebars.