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Show State- In case you hadn't noticed skateboards are back. Originally a fad of the sixties, the skateboard craze cooled as accident and injury in-jury statistics among young people soared. But the idea never completely died. Today's newly designed and engineered boards bear I little resemblance to the , wood models of the sixties. 1 The new boards are flexible plastic or fiber glass with , wheels of road-gripping urethane. They are j generally faster, bigger and ' more expensive. Are the new boards any safer? That is the question haunting parents, health care professionals, lawmakers and safety advocates ad-vocates as they watch the unprecedented revival of "sidewalk surfing" spreading across the country once again. The National Safety Council reports that in 1975 there were an estimated 27,500 persons treated in Jiospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with skateboards. The Utah Safety Council reports that the obvious dangers to the sidewalk surfer result from the inevitable falls, the severity of which will depend on speed at impact and type of surface or object struck. Bob Ingersoll, Managing Director of the Utah Safety Council said, "Since skateboards cannot be braked, except by the expert, ex-pert, the rider must leave the board in order to stop. At the speed boards are capable of, this can be hazardous not only for the rider but for pedestrians and bystanders caught in the path of the board." The Utah Safety Council offers the following safety rules which are recommended recom-mended to keep skateboard accidents to a minimum: 1) Public streets should not be used for skateboarding. skateboar-ding. A possible exception is where vehicular traffic is blocked-off during demonstrations or contests. 2) Until such time as more knowledge is gained on the use of skateboards, it's recommended that their use be confined to designated areas such as playgrounds, non-congested sidewalks where not prohibited, and restricted portions of parking lots and shopping centers. A paved surface free of large bumps and cracks cut the chance of an unscheduled fall. 3) The beginner should be mindful of the speed potential and falling hazard and confine maneuvers to his skill level. Shoes with non-slip soles appear to offer some advantages. Also, there is now available a variety of useful skateboard safety equipment including helmets and padded guards for hands, elbows, knees, etc. 4) When not in use, the boards should be kept out of any walkway, driveway, and away from stairs. 5) Permission for chiodren to use such devices should be dependent upon their ability to understand and apply these rules. |
