Community Corner

Skateboard Safety: Most Kids and Parents Ignore the Law

Many skateboarders like to take risks that could lead to injuries and even death.

Jordan Weiss was not wearing a helmet when he was killed after falling off his board while speeding down a major hill in Sherman Oaks last week. That doesn't surprise Nate Kaufman, a sales person at Val Surf, the Studio City store that sells the largest number of skateboards in the San Fernando Valley.

"People should always wear helmets when skateboarding, but skateboarders are naturally rebellious, so many of them don't wear helmets," Kaufman said. "A $30 to $40 dollar helmet might have saved his life," he added.

There is a state law that says, among other things, that a person under 18 who rides on a skateboard is required to wear a helmet, but that law is ignored by most skateboarders. In fact,  Mike Adams, one of the managers at Val Surf says he never heard of that law.

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Actually, the law requiring minors to wear helmets while skateboarding is so widely ignored that a spokesperson for the California Department of Motor Vehicles didn't know it existed.

When Sherman Oaks Patch called the DMV in Sacramento to ask about the existence of such a law, spokesperson Will Gutierrez said he thought the helmet law only applied to bicycles. But after checking Vehicle Code section 21212, Gutierrez confirmed that the helmet requirement also applies to anyone under the age of 18 who is riding on a skateboard.

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The helmet law was passed in 2003.

The skateboarding helmet is different from the type worn by bicyclists. The skateboard helmet is considered a "multi-impact" piece of head gear. The bicycle helmet is made to protect against one major impact. "The difference is skateboarders are constantly getting knocked around so they need a helmet that can handle multiple impacts." said Kaufman.

Helmets are required for everyone, not just minors, at skateboard parks, however some parks don't enforce the rule and it becomes a skate-at-your-own risk situation.

Kaufman also said parents have a role to play when it comes to skateboard safety."It's up to parents to monitor their kids' boarding practices, especially when it comes to safety issues," he said. The parents should get involved with children as soon as they start using a skateboard, he added.

In fact, the law says if a minor is cited for skatboarding without a helmet,  parents can be held liable for the fine imposed.

Skateboard shops offer an array of safety tips, but many of them are ignored, say people who work in the stores. Many boarders, not knowing their limitations, will try to do a flip before they can safely pull it off, they say.

Generally, it's a good idea to wear both helmets and pads, Kaufman said. "They could save your life or at least help you to avoid injury."


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