AIBU to think that children should wear helmets whilst scooting

[Talkwhilstyouwalk]

Most children I see riding bikes wear a helmet, but loads of children on scooters do not! Is riding a bike considered more dangerous than riding a scooter? AIBU to think that my (otherwise very sensible) friends who let their children scoot to school without a helmet are risking their children's safety? I get that helmets can be a faff and wearing one messes up my daughters hair, but I'm very firm that if she refuses to wear her helmet then she's walking! Bit embarrassed that we had a showdown about this in front of another mum who lets her child scoot helmet free.

I don’t think you can fall off a scooter in the same way you fall off a bicycle, can you? Wouldn’t falling from a scooter just be more like tripping when running?

I don't know, my daughter went over the handle bar once and I was very glad she was wearing her helmet!

Lower speed, different centre of gravity, less of a fall and more of a topple? I dunno, I’m just imagining scooting and it doesn’t feel in my head like cycling does!

To be honest I don’t think you’re likely to sustain the same kind of injuries from falling off a scooter as you are a bike and no more likely to get hit by a car than you would walking so yeah I think a helmet for scootering is a hit overkill.

Unless of course she’s don’t the scooter park jumping ramps

I know what you mean but they do pick up quite a speed, especially downhill! Maybe I'm being too strict, not that I plan on changing my policy!

Mine don't wear them to scoot to school, they don't go fast enough to warrant one on pavements.
They wear them when they go to the park or anywhere where it's safe for them to go fast.

I don’t think you can fall off a scooter in the same way you fall off a bicycle, can you? Wouldn’t falling from a scooter just be more like tripping when running?

^ this. Although I do put ds helmet on anyway.

Up to each parent to choose. My kids always wear helmets on bikes but never on scooters. My friend used to make her kids wear helmets on scooters. I think scooter accidents are less dangerous, but that might be my ignorance.

Mine have to wear helmets on scooters.

My DS is 2.5 and he has to wear a helmet, but he gathers speed, stands both feet on it going down our (downhill) garden while yelling WHEEE, and ends his mission abruptly at the gate.

I make my DC wear their helmets for bikes and scooters. I don't mind other kids doing differently, I just tell my kids we decide what's best for our family and other people do what's best for them.
I think she'll find it harder in her teens, mind.

I don't think scooters are as dangerous.

Mine do as they are speed demons on their scooters.

Surely this is commonsensical but (conversely) a personal parental “choice.”However based on repeated own child personal experience I highly recommend helmets for obvious safety benefits irrespective of probability of need for added protection and marginal inconvenience. For me it’s a no brainier and that is not because of witnessing young children unnecessarily hurt on commonly uneven surfaces and not having the protection of a safety helmet. Don’t let the precious little ones inadvertently suffer as safety first is always way to go!

My DD6 wears a helmet as I think she could still have a nasty fall off a scooter. I see a mixture of helmets and no helmet when other kids scooter around. Sometimes I wonder if we are being too cautious, but DD is very clumsy. So we will stick with the helmet.

And jump and do tricks

It’s also about normalising wearing helmets. My DS always wears a helmet and just does it. Like wearing a seatbelt, should just be something they do.

We’ve always required helmets

My girl doesn't wear one (4yo) but that's because she only rides it on the park/playground at low speed. Can't see how she could hurt herself any worse than she might just running around tbh.

I absolutely agree. We always made DD wear a helmet on her scooter. One day, while racing me while I was running, she went over the scooter handle bar and face- planted the ground with her forehead. Shockingly, the helmet was completely and utterly wrecked. She was shaken up but it was nothing compared to the serious head injury she would otherwise have sustained.

Based on my experience, if it were purely based on the risk of hitting their heads, I wouldn’t bother with bikes or scooters and get them wearing helmets in the playground!

No scooting without a helmet for DD. It’s partly so she gets used to it being a blanket rule and we get less drama when it comes to wearing one on her bike but she also gets up some serious speed on that thing. Seems better safe than sorry?

DD, who is 4yo, wears a helmet on her scooter and on her bike. It's not worth the risk, and a good habit to get into.

I make mine wear helmets on scooters - no helmet, no scooter. I’ve had the awkward moment when they’re with other kids not wearing helmets, and I’ve put my foot down. It just is what it is, different families have different rules I guess.

Always a helmet on scooters in our family