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Norman R. Hayes is an 11-year-old expert in the dangers of riding a scooter. His most recent accident left him with two broken bones in his arm, and side lined him for most of the summer.
“This is my red cast,” says Norman. “It was the second red cast I had, where I could bend my elbow.”
Norman’s arm injuries are common among scooter accidents. “A lot of children who fall land on an outstretched arm and have a lower arm fracture,” explains Dr. James Parker, a pediatrician at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Norman’s father, Norman A. Hayes, says, “There was genuine worry. My initial concerns were about any type of deformity or not growing back properly.”
Scooter injuries have become common in U.S. hospitals, particularly since their rise in popularity in 2000. One year later, 84,000 kids ended up in the emergency room due to scooter-related accidents.
Most injuries aren’t life-threatening, but at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Dr. Parker says, “We still see a large number of potentially catastrophic injuries; head injuries, significant fractures and other wounds.”
Dr. Parker says parents must emphasize to their kids the importance of safety equipment and helmets, especially on a scooter.
“In general, they’re still just a plank of metal, and an upright handle for them to be able to ride,” says Dr. Parker. “So there’s still a lot of open area, a lot of potential for losing their balance and falling.”
Norman doesn’t ride scooters anymore. But when he rides his bike or roller blades, he always wears a helmet. He also realizes that as bad as it was to break his arm, it could have been much worse.
“Well, when I went to the doctor, they said I was lucky I didn’t injure my head, because I didn’t have a helmet on.”
And as Norman’s dad explains, the injury has given his son a new sense of responsibility when it comes to riding anything on wheels.
“My son’s been a walking billboard to his friends. [He says] ‘Hey, watch the tricky stuff on the equipment and wear your protective gear.’
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