E-Cigarettes, E-Coli, E-Scooters. What do all of these have in common? They’re killing your children.

E-Scooters are a hazard on the sidewalks and streets of Lake Forest. Lake Forest High School and the City of Lake Forest have already given out warnings about E-Scooters, even collaborating with the Bears mascot Staley to make a video about E-Scooter safety.

Walking through downtown Lake Forest after school, particularly on Fridays, is an absolute madhouse. The area is a ‘walk your wheels’ zone, meaning that people should either walk or lock up bikes and scooters. Unfortunately, this rule is rarely followed or enforced. I’ve seen scooters almost running people over, crashing into trees, and driving on the road weaving through cars. Not only is this a hazard for the people on the scooters, but for the people on the sidewalks and in cars as well. 

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, in the past decade, people admitted to hospitals after an E-Scooter accident rose from one in 20 to one in eight. Of these patients, the average age was 11 years old, despite the recommended age to ride a scooter being 16. Something must be done to make this mode of transportation less injury-prone.

For E-Scooters to even be considered somewhat safe, they need to be used correctly. Bikers often adhere to the rules of the road, stopping at stop signs, signaling when they are turning, etc. This keeps them – and the cars on the road with them – safe. Scooter riders should and absolutely must do the same when on the road, and should be in a bike lane. While on the sidewalk, the scooter rider should let pedestrians know if they are on their right or left, as many bikers do. 

Parents: I know it’s easy to send your kids out on their electric scooters rather than driving them to the park or their friend’s house, but they are at a serious safety risk on these scooters. Driving at these scooter’s top speeds – up to 20 mph – can lead to serious injury if an accident were to occur. On top of the already dangerous practices of E-scooter riders, such as carrying two or even three people on a single scooter, not wearing helmets, or listening to music at high volumes when riding, the combination can lead to possible injury.

If your kids are begging for an electric scooter, maybe think twice before dropping $700+ on one. I heard Heelys are coming back in style.