Do you think children should wear helmets when riding scooters? Many children these days ride scooters to school. It’s quicker than walking and safer than biking because children ride their scooters on the footpath.
However, there are sometimes accidents. A scooter may hit a bump and the child can fall over the handlebars. ACC figures show the number of injuries from scooter accidents has risen from 697 in 2008 to 6474 last year.
Of course some of the accidents are caused by children having fun on a skateboard ramp. Sometimes children try silly things like riding their scooter down steps.
It is compulsory to wear a helmet while riding a bike. A child safety group called Safekids wants to make helmets compulsory for scooter users. Do you think it should be compulsory to wear a helmet while riding a scooter?
Vocabulary
• scooter – sometimes a 50cc moped is called a (motor) scooter. This text refers to children’s push scooters.
• handlebars – where you put your hands
• ACC – Accident Compensation Corporation (like insurance)
• skateboard ramp – made of concrete, shaped like a wide U.
• compulsory – a law says you must do this