Scooter safety
It is very important that children are taught how to use their scooters safely and be considerate to other pedestrians as they can be ridden at very high speeds.
Scooters are much easier to master than a bicycle, and are more convenient for a parent or carer to carry should their child lose interest on the school run. They are also great fun and can be used to help promote active travel, and a more active lifestyle. Walking, scooting or cycling to school can make a great start to the school day, with pupils arriving invigorated and ready to learn. Even better, the increased use of scooters may help to reduce the number of vehicles on the road at peak travel times.
Safe use of scooters
Scooter safety education is important for all children be they in the early years, KS1, or much older. It is as important as learning to cross the road or cycle safely. Your school can use the following safe scooting rules.
- Consider wearing a helmet, no matter how short the journey. Helmets save lives.
- Be seen. Make sure you can be seen, especially on dark evenings. Consider wearing a reflective jacket or strip. You might even add a light to your scooter. If in doubt, get off and push the scooter - better to take a bit longer than have an accident.
- Check your scooter regularly to make sure it's in good working condition. Pay attention to the brakes, whether the wheels spin correctky and whether the handlebars turn smoothly.
- Be heard. Attach a bell to your scooter. Roads and pavements are noisy, so it's important other people can hear you coming. Please remember, you should be considerate and not use your bell as an excuse to scoot at speed and using it to tell people to get out of the way.
- Control your speed. The faster you go, the longer it will take you to come to a stop. Never go too fast on pavements or anywhere near roads as you (or someone coming towards you) might not have the space to slow down.
- Be aware of other people. Pavements, streets and roads are used by lots of other people who are walking, bicycling, skateboarding and driving, so always look around carefully to see where they are. Do not try to push past other pedestrians, or weave in and out of pedestrians.
- Stop at the kerb and be aware of cars entering or exiting driveways. Stop your scooter by bending your knees and pressing firmly on the brake. When crossing the road, dismount from your scooter.
- Never scoot on the road - not even for a second. Always push your scooter when crossing.
- Travel with an adult, even if it's just a short distance, so you can learn the route.
- Remember the Green Cross Code. Always stop, look and listen before crossing any road, and if possible use a designated crossing point or subway.
If you would like an information sheet of the scooter safety rules to display at school, post on your website, or to send out to parents, please email schooltraveladvisor@slough.gov.uk.
Scooter training provision
If your school is interested in providing scooter training to its pupils, please contact Slough Borough Council. It may even be possible for the council to help cover the costs with its Local Sustainable Transport Fund. Scooter training is also available via Sustrans if your school is a Bike It school.