Parents may be breathing a sigh of relief now that their children have returned to school for the fall session. One of the reasons for that relief may include the fact that their children are no longer spending all day on their bicycles, scooters, skates, and skateboards.
According to Stanford Children’s Health, the following statistics are available regarding children and bicycles: 
- At least 70 percent of children between the ages of 5 and 14 ride bicycles.
- Most bicycle accidents among children occur between May and August, between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
- The majority of bicycle accidents among children occur on minor roads, usually within one mile of the child’s home.
- Children and adolescents under the age of 14 who ride their bicycles after sunset are four times as likely to be injured in a bicycle accident.
- Although bicycle helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of a head injury for a child involved in a bicycle accident by 85 percent, only about 25 percent of children under the age of 14 wear a bicycle helmet.
The Journal of Epidemiological Research found that while the rate of injuries due to bicycles far surpasses the rates of injuries from scooters, skates, and skateboards, the number of injuries from skateboards closely follows. In 2014, there were 439,960 emergency room visits resulting from a fall from a bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, or a scooter. In that same year, there were almost 24,000 hospital admissions from those ER visits.
Fifty Children Visit ERs Each Hour Due to Bicycle, Scooter, Skate and Skateboard Accidents
According to Deseret News, a staggering 50 children per hour will visit Emergency Rooms for injuries associated with bicycles, scooters, skates, and skateboards. In 2014, 98 children died riding bicycles, but nearly a quarter of a million required emergency room care, and more than 26,000 suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of a bicycle accident. About 84,000 children were injured as a result of skateboarding, with another nearly 60,000 injured while skating.
When school lets out for the summer, millions of children go outdoors for activities with their friends and family members. The most popular of these activities include bicycling, skateboarding, skating, and, more recently, riding scooters. While these sports can effectively result in hours and hours of outdoor fun for children who are out of school for the summer, they can also create the risk of injury. Injuries primarily result from falls, lack of proper protective gear, and collisions with motor vehicles.
Most Frequent Injuries from Bicycles, Scooters, Skates and Skateboarding Accidents
Emergency Room records show the most frequently treated injuries from such accidents include broken bones and fractures of the hands, wrists, elbows, arms, and shoulders, and that the most serious injuries are head injuries and concussions. Perhaps the most common reason for injuries related to these “wheeled-sports” is the lack of protection afforded by elbow and knee pads, proper shoes, wrist guards, and helmets. Scooter-related injuries are believed to have increased by as much as 40 percent solely based on children not wearing helmets.
Getting the Help You Need Following a Bicycle, Scooter, Skate, or Skateboarding Accident
You likely rode a bicycle, skated, or rode a skateboard as a child, and your child or children likely do the same. However, bicycles, scooters, skates, and skateboards can potentially lead to serious accidents. Those who have been involved in such an accident may need assistance. Your client’s ability to get treatment for their injuries and assistance with the accident-related expenses can, unfortunately, be limited. However, help can come from USClaims. At USClaims, pre-settlement funding can help your clients pay those unexpected medical expenses, in anticipation of a court judgment or settlement. Call 1-877-USCLAIMS today for the information you and your clients need and deserve.
