Riding an electric scooter without a helmet puts your life in danger.
Even when riding for a short distance, never forget to wear your helmet. Always make sure you have it on.
What is more worrying is that a helmet is usually issued for free after purchasing an electric scooter, yet many riders choose not to wear it or find difficulty in wearing it.
Importance of Wearing Helmets
This is one of the safety precautions that every rider must put into consideration before switching on an electric scooter.
This comes at a time when data and studies conducted in the United States and Canada show that most scooter injuries involve the head.
The studies further show that in most cases, the riders were not wearing helmets.
Treating a head injury is costly and can lead to permanent injuries or conditions that may be irreversible.
A separate study by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) shows that helmets reduce accidents by 44 per cent.
Why Helmets Save Lives
These facts should convince riders to wear helmets when cruising on the two-wheeled or three-wheeled eco-friendly machines that have become common in major cities.
According to a testimony by one scooter rider in 2024 in an electric scooter Facebook group, she urged fellow community members to wear headgear even when going for short distances, saying that a helmet saved her after negotiating a dangerous corner.
Head Injuries Among Riders
Helmets are designed in a way that protects the head from injury in case of a fall. They reduce contact between the head and the ground, hence preventing concussions and facial lacerations.
Electric Scooter Safety Tips
According to a medical expert who is also a paediatrician at Queensland Children’s Hospital in South Brisbane, Professor Roy Kimble
Professor Roy Kimble, director of paediatric surgery at QCH, said helmets should be “non-negotiable”.
“Even for short trips,” he said. “A helmet can mean the difference between an acute head injury and long-term neurocognitive consequences.”
Riders should not restrict themselves to wearing helmets alone. Safety should also extend to other parts of the body.
Knee Pads and Safety
They should wear knee pads since knee injuries are second to head injuries in terms of accidents involving scooter riders.
Reflective Jackets’ Importance
Riders should also wear reflective jackets, especially when riding at night.
Traffic Laws on Helmets
Riding without a helmet is also a traffic offence, and one may get arrested and charged under the penal code.
Riders should also wear goggles or other eye-protective equipment that prevents dust from getting into the eyes, which can confuse the rider and cause them to lose control or momentum while riding.
