Six out of every 10 skateboard injuries are to children under 15 years of age. Skate- boarders who have been skating for less than a week suffer one-third of the injuries; riders with a year or more of experience have the next highest number of injuries. Injuries to first-time skateboarders are, for the most part, due to falls. Experienced riders mainly suffer injuries when they fall after their skateboards strike rocks and other irregularities in the riding surface or when they attempt difficult stunts.

Irregular riding surfaces account for over half the skateboarding injuries due to falls. Before riding, skateboarders should screen the area where they will be riding by checking for holes, bumps, rocks and any debris. Areas set aside especially for skate- boarding generally have smoother riding surfaces. Skateboarding in the street can result in collisions with cars causing serious injury and even death.

Last year, over 40,000 people were taken to hospital emergency rooms in the U.S. because of injuries from riding scooters. Most of the injuries were to kids under 15! Here are some good tips that all kids should follow when riding their scooters:

ALWAYS use a helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads.

This is a small investment - only about $35 - and can instantly eliminate almost two-thirds of possible scooter accidents, including most of the most serious ones. In many states, provinces and regions throughout the world, these are required by law!

Children under eight should always be supervised when using scooters.

Almost a third of all scooter-related injuries and accidents involve children under the age of eight. As everyone knows, scooters are capable of traveling very quickly, and children that age do not always have the judgment or coordination to handle these high speeds.

Cars and scooters don't mix, especially for younger riders. Smooth, paved surfaces are best - avoid bumpy, uneven, wet or rocky ones. Schoolyards, parks, paved trails are examples of safe places to "scoot"! And, on sidewalks, be especially careful for pedestrians, who always have the right of way.

Always observe the basic rules of the road anywhere you use scooters.

As scooters can travel as fast as many other types of vehicles, motorized and non-motorized, they too must observe the rules of the road. These include:

Stop at every stop sign. Look left, right, and left again before proceeding.

Stop at the end of the driveway. Look left, right, and left before entering the street.

Use proper hand signals.

Obey traffic signs and signals.

Do not ride a scooter at night.

When it is dark out, there are just too many things that can easily upset your balance and cause you to fall. Therefore, no one should ride scooters at night.

When skating:

Pay attention to potential hazards- keep your eyes and ears open
skate only on smooth surfaces
skate in skate-designated areas, always away from traffic

Wear:
a helmet (your bike helmet will work fine)
wrist guard
elbow pads
knee pads
good quality, well-fitting skates that provide ankle support
check your skates regularly
replace the brakes before they wear out

Be careful:
never skate through oil, water, mud or sand. Wheels on in-line skates have little traction and your feet can slide out from under you quickly
yield to walkers
skate during daylight hours only
never skate wearing head phones, they block our sounds that can alert you to danger
BE courteous and friendly and on the alert for others
When with friends, skate single-file
Keep to the far right on paths
Never pass without warning others near you

Kids must learn to stop, look left, look right, look left again and listen to be sure no cars are coming before entering a street. Look left that second time because cars coming from the left are on the child's side of the street and are closer. Use your driveway or sidewalk to demonstrate this way to enter a street. Have the child practice the entry, looking left, looking right and looking left again. Make sure that they understand that because they see a car does not mean the driver sees them. They must always assume that the driver has not.

Nearly a third of the car-bike crashes with a young child occur when a child rides through a stop sign or red light without yielding to crossing traffic. Kids must learn to stop, look left, look right, then look left again at all stop signs, stop lights and intersections before crossing, Make sure they know the basics about stop signs and stop lights. Then take your child to a controlled intersection and practice crossing safely. Explain that when riding in a group, each bicyclist must stop and make sure it is clear before crossing. Teach young children to walk their bikes through busy intersections. Remind them that it is the law to obey traffic signals even when no one appears to be coming. While you are at it, explain one-way streets to them too.

Nearly a third of the car-bike crashes involving children occur when a child turns suddenly into the path of faster moving traffic. Kids must learn to look behind them, signal and look behind again before swerving, turning or changing lanes. The best place to practice this is in a quiet parking lot or playground. Stand behind them while they ride along a straight painted line. Hold up numbered cards and have them practice looking back over their shoulder and telling you the number on the card -- without swerving off the painted line. Children should not be allowed to ride their bikes on the street alone until they have mastered this skill.

Many fatalities occur when the first rider violates one of the three rules above and the second one just blindly follows. The statistic shows one of the three rules above caused the crash, but the real reason was following another rider. Running stop signs or red lights, riding out of driveways or zipping across lanes all seem natural to the second child because they are more focused on following the other rider than on the rules. This will not be an easy lesson to absorb!

Every year over 800 people die in the U.S. from bicycle crashes. Most of them die from head injuries. Many more have their brains scrambled and live for a long time or sometimes for the rest of their lives with something that doesn't function right up there. Brain damage can cause learning disabilities, personality changes and rob your child of the ability to think clearly. Hospital emergency room studies show that a helmet can prevent about 85 per cent of head injuries. So you don't want your child riding a bike without one, even on your block, on the sidewalk or on a bike trail. The fall is from the same height wherever they ride!

Become familiar with your bicycle. Keep it in good working order and adjust for a proper fit. Use bicycle shops as a resource.

For your protection, always wear a helmet. Be sure your helmet has been approved by the Snell Memorial Foundation, or the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Do not wear a headphone while riding your bike. A bicyclist must be constantly alert to potential traffic hazards.

Make yourself visible. Equip your bike with proper reflectors and lights. Dress to be seen by wearing light-colored clothing at night, and brightly colored clothing during the day.

Obey traffic signs and signals; they apply to all vehicles, including bicycles. Abiding by all traffic laws will gain you respect from other road users.

Wherever there is a bike lane provided, you must use it if your speed is less than the auto traffic.

Ride predictably. Try to travel in a straight line, and about a car door's width away from parked cars.

Avoid riding two or more abreast.

Communicate your intentions by using hand signals when turning or changing lanes.

Always ride with traffic, never against it. Keep to the right as much as possible, but be aware of potholes, storm drain grates, parked cars, broken glass and other road hazards.

Cross storm drains and railroad tracks at a right angle.

Never assume that drivers are aware of your presence.

Always make eye contact.

When traveling straight ahead and approaching a red light, look behind you and, when safe, move onto the line separating the right-turn lane from the right lane of traffic. This allows room for cars to turn right. If no right turn lane is available, position yourself in the middle of the right lane; if the lane is wide enough, allow enough room on your right for cars to turn.

At your destination, always secure your bicycle with an appropriate locking device. Never park your bicycle in a manner, which blocks pedestrian traffic.

Registration of your bicycle with your local law enforcement agency will aid in its recovery in the event of theft.