Florida Child Injury Law Blog

Posts Tagged ‘helmet’

 Every year there are tens of thousands of serious accidents related to All-Terrain Vehicles.  Safety should be of utmost importance to all drivers, but especially to those children under the age of 16.  Make sure you understand state by state regulations that apply in terms of children’s operating restrictions.

 The following is a list of safety tips from the US Product Safety Commission:

• Children and young people under the age of 16 should not ride adult ATVs.
• All ATV users should take a hands-on safety training course.
• Always wear a helmet and safety gear such as boots and gloves while on an ATV.
• Never drive an ATV on paved roads.
• Never drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Never drive a youth or single-rider adult ATV with a passenger, and never ride these vehicles as a passenger.
• Some ATVs  are designed for two riders. Passengers on tandem ATVs should be at least 12 years old.

 The ATV Safety Institute reports that 90% of child injuries on ATVs are caused by improper  driver behavior. A child should not operate an all terrain vehicle without the supervision of an adult.

Find additional information about  What To Know About the Dangers of ATVs and Children on our Florida Child Injury website.

For a FREE consultation with a Florida Personal injury lawyer about your accident case, contact our office @ 1-888-340-0840.

Skateboarding is a popular recreational activity, particularly among young teenage males. If your child is a skateboarder, chances are you know who Tony Hawk is.  You may have even bought his Xbox game! 

Skateboarding is an activity in which you move quickly over hard surfaces. It can lead to injuries that range from minor cuts and bruises to catastrophic brain injury. Each year in the United States, skateboarding injuries cause about 50,000 visits to emergency departments and 1500 children and adolescents to be hospitalized.

To improve skateboarding safety, a growing number of communities provide supervised skateboard parks. These may have professionally designed “bowls” and “ramps” or other designated skateboarding areas that are located away from motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

Naturally injuries can occur but they can be limited if your child follows a few safety tips. 

 1. Always wear a properly fitting helmet and protective gear.  Padding is available for wrists, knees and elbows. 

 2. Learn how to fall.  Landing on a fleshy part of the body is always best.  Try to relax rather than stiffen your body in a fall. If you are losing your balance, crouch down on the skateboard so you won’t have as far to fall.

 3. Practice common sense.  Avoid skateboarding at dusk or evening hours.  Never “skitch” a ride.  Skitching a ride is when a skateboarder hangs onto the rear or side of a moving vehicle.

 4. Use a quality skateboard and keep it in top condition, looking for needed repairs with every ride. 

To reduce the chance of skateboarding injuries, practice skateboarding safety and always use protective gear.