helmets for scooters

[Anonymous]

My boys have started to notice that most of their friends do not wear helmets for scooters and are rebelling against my insisting that they do. I am surprised as a lot of these kids have parents who are at least as, if not more protective as me and they all wear helmets when on bikes.
Is helmet wearing on scooters "dorky"? I know even if it is I will keep insisting on it, but it makes it hard.
Whats the deal?

[Anonymous]

Well, I insist on helmets for bikes and roller blades, but I gotta tell you, I don't for scooters. It just doesn't seem to me that they go fast enough to cause any serious damage. And I know, they could fall or something, but they could also fall while running down the street, and I don't make them wear helmets when they're running. So that's where I draw the line. But you should do what you feel is in the best interest of your children.

[Anonymous]

Helmets for scooters is technically dorky, but who cares, it's a safety issue. Any fall from greater than your own height is a risk for spinal and/or head injury...add a bit (even if it is small) of speed into this, then things change. Or what if you're kids are doing everything right and someone else--a care, another biker, etc. messes up. That adds extra speed into a possible injury. IMO, though I'm sure it's extreme for most, helmets are a must. I grew up with my step-dad, a neurologist. We had strong helmet rules. My brothers didn't want to wear helmets, in fact they were caught not wearing them. They weren't riding their bikes, and they were help dad do rounds to see all of his patients with head injuries. They both wear their helmets.

[Anonymous]

I make DD wear her helmet when scooting. My biggest worry is bicyclists on the sidewalk... the ones who whizz by after shouting, "On your right!"

[Anonymous]

I require my kids to wear helmets for bikes, skateboards and scooters. The only thing I don't require helmets for are the battery operated cars that they drive around. My neighbors do not require their kids to wear helmets for scooters and many don't even wear them for bikes. Truthfully, given the type of biking and scooter riding that they do at their ages, I douibt that fall would result in serious injury if they did not wear a helmet, but I do think it is important for them to be in the habit. If injury was the real issue, I would require knee and elbow pads and steel tipped shoes. It's the skinned knees, brush burned elbows and stubbed toes from breaking with their feet that are the most serious problem at their age.