Ever since the kick scooter was invented, it has been one of every child’s favorite things. Along with bicycles and rollerblades, a kick scooter is ridden throughout childhood. But as everything progresses, the kick scooter is increasingly being replaced by the electric scooter. Since the electric scooter is available on the market, children are no longer satisfied with the old kick scooter, but are looking for a new, electric one. However, parents have a much harder time deciding in this case, because the speed that some electric scooters reach are too high for children.
This raises a dilemma between the child’s safety concerns and wishes. And the laws generally do not ease the situation, because there is no age limit when it comes to driving electric scooters. What is the best choice is for the child to first ride a kick scooter to develop motor skills, and then move on to the new version. It is believed that 8 years earlier is the time for transition and that the electric scooter model must be adapted to the child.
Since there are more and more of them on the streets, it was announced that the new law on traffic safety will include these new means of transport. We hope it will also clarify age limit for driving escooter.
How Old Do You Have to be to Ride an Escooter?
While many people are happy to buy and use an escooter it’s thought that they are not suitable for everyone. Many forms of transportation come with an age restriction and this is the case for escooters.
Some people might be surprised there is an age restriction on escooters as they are made to be enjoyed. However, allowing a child to ride an escooter could result in injury. So how old do you have to be? This article aims to explore this topic.
Can Children Use Them?
In the United States, it’s recommended that those who are under the age of 16 do not ride an electric scooter. This is because they are considered too young to have a driver’s license and they shouldn’t operate or even ride on an escooter.
It’s recommended that anyone under the age of 8 who is using an escooter is supervised by an adult. They’re likely to be much safer if someone is around to ensure they don’t go too fast or travel on terrain that is unstable.
If you’re planning to teach your child to ride an escooter, invest in an escooter meant for children according to CampingSecrets.co.uk. These types of electric scooters are designed with riding convenience and safety in mind.
Here are some of the most popular features of kid’s electric scooters that manufacturers always pay attention to:
- Throttle For Safe Acceleration: Kids scooters are always designed with a throttle button located in the handlebar, where pressure can be applied and delivered into the electric motor of the wheels. If the user doesn’t press the throttle button, the motor won’t accelerate unless required.
- Lower Voltage: Compared to ordinary scooters, electric scooters made for children have relatively lower voltage, ranging from 12V to 24V only. Supplying higher voltage to a vehicle that works through electric motor movements allow it to increase torque and acceleration. Having a lower voltage prevents the user from sudden acceleration and accident risks.
Also, having a speedy electric scooter isn’t always the best, as it can consume more power and shorten your vehicle’s lifespan in the long run. To increase the range of your electric scooter, driving at slower speeds is more sustainable long-term.
It Can Depend on the Manufacturer
Some manufacturers state that no-one under the age of 16 should ride an escooter. According to escooter.co.uk escooters can be used from the age of 14. there are other manufacturers that claim 8 to 12 year old’s can ride on escooters. However, there is no law surrounding the issue of age, at least not in this country.
If you want to buy an escooter for yourself or your child you need to make sure you or they understand what it means to be safe. Children don’t understand risk in the same way as adults do. In fact, studies have shown that our brains don’t determine risk in the same way as adults do until we’re 25. However, some 16 year old’s can be much safer on an escooter than a daring 25 year old.
At the end of the day it might just come down to personality and perception of risk. Until a law is put in place in the UK, it might be up to the individual or their parent/guardian to make the decision.
Staying Safe on an Electric Scooter
No matter how old you are when you ride an electric scooter it’s important that you stay safe. Wearing a helmet should be essential. While there is no law surrounding the wearing of helmets when you use an escooter, it is really down to common sense. Falls and accidents do occur and they can be particularly nasty. Wearing a helmet can ensure you’re more likely to survive a fall.
Aside from a high-quality helmet, you should also consider investing in different safety equipment if you use your electric scooter often:
- Wrist guards
- Elbow guards
- Knee pads
- High-quality sports shoes
When it comes to the issue of safety you also need to make sure you ride safely at all times. It can be too tempting do to tricks and stunts but they can result in accidents.
Ensuring that you ride at a slow speed when other people are around is paramount. Pedestrians can be injured if you crash into them. Riding at night without any lights on isn’t a good idea. You need to be seen so that no-one walks or rides into you.
Riding on busy pavements is not ideal, so you may need to take an alternate route. If you have a garden with a pavement it could be wise to let your children ride their escooter on that. They are much safer in your garden than they would be riding up and down your street.
Any child who does not understand how to be safe or that you need to be safe is too young to ride an electric scooter.
There’s No Definite Answer
As you can see, there appears to be no definite answer. However, we do know that electric bicycles can be used by anyone over the age of 14. This is only the case when the electric bicycle has been made road legal. If we use the law surrounding this type of transportation as a marker for the use of escooters then anyone over the age of 14 can use an escooter.
In time, there might be clearer answers, but for now we’ll have to put it down to personal choice.
Save time and money by riding an electric scooter
What is certain is that the number of electric scooters is increasing every day, and in order to be safe, certain rules need to be regulated. It is indisputable that they save their owners time and money on the way to work and back, and they provide fun and relaxation. All those who use them every day avoid traffic jams, get from one point of the city to another faster and do not worry about parking. Electric scooters are a great alternative to cars, while the ecological moment further contributes to the importance of the whole story.
Therefore, all lovers of electric scooters, don’t forget to put helmet on head, be careful and enjoy the ride if you are old enough.
