KNOW YOUR VEHICLE: Be sure you are familiar with your vehicle. Practice riding until you are sure you know how to operate the throttle and brakes can make turns and stops in a smooth, safe manner, and can maintain secure control of your vehicle while in motion. Go slowly while you are learning to ride your vehicle and getting used to how it handles. Gradually increase your speed during this practice phase so that you learn to control your vehicle at the full range of its capabilities.
STAY BALANCED: Stand or sit safely on your scooter in a balanced position to lessen the likelihood of falling. If you turn your head, be sure not to swerve; maintain your forward direction. Balance carefully if you are wearing a backpack or are carrying any items on your vehicle.
DRIVE DEFENSIVELY: Always look ahead of yourself to be sure that your path is clear. Be prepared to stop your vehicle when objects, pedestrians, or other riders/drivers are in your way. Avoid riding near pets, particularly dogs because they like to chase objects in motion (this means YOU when you are riding). Watch ahead, beside, and behind where you are riding, and try to anticipate what others around you are about to do so that you can avoid collisions. Remember that no one plans ahead to have an accident; please do all you can to avoid mistakes (by you or others) whenever possible!
DAYTIME RIDING ONLY: Do not ride scooters or bikes at night. Reduced visibility at dusk and nighttime is very dangerous for riders on small vehicles – it’s harder to see, and to be seen, than in the daytime.
CHECK THE WEATHER: The best weather conditions for electric scooters and bikes are above-freezing, dry conditions. Freezing temperatures can damage the battery and electrical systems. Ice, snow, and rain reduce traction and make riding unsafe. Do not ride in the rain, or on wet surfaces. Doing so makes it very difficult to brake safely, and greatly increases the likelihood of accidents. Wet conditions can damage the electrical components of most motorized scooters and bikes. Extreme heat can also damage electric motors and battery systems. Extremely windy conditions can reduce stability and make riding unsafe.
RIDING SURFACES, TERRAIN, AND HAZARDS: The safest surface for scooter riding is smooth pavement. Avoid riding (or at least be very careful!) on uneven surfaces such as bumpy pavement, uneven sidewalks, gravel, dirt, sand, sawdust or mulch. Keep an eye out for obstacles and hazards ahead of you, such as potholes, bumps or cracks; driving over them can cause you to fall. Only ride off-road if your vehicle is designed for that terrain.
FOLLOW THE RULES: Know and obey the traffic rules in your jurisdiction. Yield the right of way as necessary to pedestrians, pets, and larger vehicles. Consult our “Street Legal” page for further information about typical traffic laws governing small scooters.
AVOID TRAFFIC: Do not ride scooters or bikes around vehicular traffic. This includes public roads, parking lots, and driveways. Keep plenty of distance between you and anything else in motion near you. Always “stop, look and listen” when riding between parked cars or on driveways. At intersections, we recommend getting off your scooter or bike and walking it across. PLEASE NOTE: Most serious accidents involving young riders involve cars or other larger vehicles, so this is a vital safety rule to prevent injury and even death. We especially warn against “skitching” (the skaters’ term for hitching a ride on a car or truck by grabbing onto the side or rear bumper)!
ONE AT A TIME: Only allow one rider at a time on scooters and bikes (do not give rides to friends). Most scooters and bikes we sell can only hold enough rider weight for one individual. Too much weight puts great stress on electric motors and other components of small vehicles, causing them to burn out, bend or break. Also, a second rider can unbalance a scooter or bike, making it unstable and unsafe.
NO BIG HILLS: Avoid riding down steep inclines. The increased speeds can cause your vehicle to become unstable, and greatly increase the degree of risk to the rider. Also, trying to ride up a steep hill can put too much stress on your motor and batteries, causing them to burn out prematurely. If your electric scooter or bike is struggling to get up a hill, be sure you have a full charge on your batteries, and reduce the weight the scooter is carrying if possible; you could also seek out a less hilly route to get where you are going.
STAY ALERT: Do not ride when sleepy, tired, or under the influence of medications or substances that impair judgment or reaction time. Always ride with a clear head!
GUYS BEWARE: Be careful if you are a guy on wheels. Two-thirds of people who visit an emergency room due to injuries from riding a scooter are male. Trying to impress your friends or getting a thrill from pushing the limits too far can land you in the hospital – so be safe and have some REAL fun without pain or injury.
NO STUNTS: Refrain from “trick” or extreme riding. Jumps, stunts, spins, wheelies, grinding, and other such techniques are dangerous for the rider and the vehicle and will void the warranty coverage for most of the vehicles we sell if damage occurs due to this type of riding. Professional riders who compete in extreme sports have special equipment, special training, lots of safety gear, and hefty insurance coverage, so leave the cool tricks to the pros!
UNDER AGE 8: When riding anything with wheels, children under the age of 8 years should always be directly supervised by an adult (with the adult present and watching the child, and able to intervene when necessary).