Safety Measures You Need To Follow When Riding Electric Skateboard
1. Protect Your Head
Keeping your head safe is priority numero uno. Don’t believe me? Ride an ESk8board at its maximum speed, then trip yourself and use your head to break your fall. If you did this without a helmet, it could be the last ride of your life.
Safety is not a game, and shouldn’t be thrown to the wind just because “it isn’t cool.”
Head injuries (even minor ones) can cause vision loss, hearing loss and speech problems. As fun as E-Skateboards is, they are not toys – and still require helmets to protect your skull.
When you’re looking for a good helmet, be sure to find one that’s flat on your head, sits low on your forehead, and has inside pads you can remove or put back – depending on how snug you want it on your head. This snugness keeps the helmet from shaking around (anyway) when you wear it. Be sure to check that the helmet meets the industry-standard ASTM F1492 helmet rating.
2. Protect Everything Else
Whether you’re riding a bike, skateboard, hoverboard, etc., it’s always important to wear proper protective gear. Not only to keep you safe from harm but to save your life in the event of a potential car crash. Things like wrist guards (which keep your wrist from shattering when you use your hand to break your fall), knee+elbow pads and slip-resistant shoes go a long way towards minimizing injury.
3. Learn how to fall correctly
Believe it or not, purposely making yourself bail is a great way to get used to falling. By making yourself fall, you’re putting yourself into a position for falling correctly to minimize as much damage as possible. This is why finding an old, unused mattress and putting it out in your driveway and throwing yourself off your board is a fast “Falling 101” technique. The fact that e-skateboards are faster is one reason why electric skateboards are better than normal electric skateboards for this safety practice.
When you’re falling, try to fall on the fleshy parts of your body and roll out of the bail. Such as your stomach, your thighs, and soft, meaty areas. While these will bruise and be cut/scraped easily, wouldn’t you much rather land on them than on your joints and bones? I’d rather take a bruised leg than a fractured wrist any day of the week.
4. Right Purpose
All-terrain eSk8s are drastically different from road-only eSk8s. If you ever plan to ride on grass, dirt, gravelly trails or uneven surfaces, opt for an off-road electric skateboard. Yes, they are more expensive, but that’s because they are specifically designed for off-road journeys. Flat-surface-only boards will break if they’re taken on uneven/grassy surfaces.
Therefore, buy the board that’s right for you – and learn how to ride it safely.
5. Buy Gummy Shoes
Sadly, regular shoe rubbers don’t keep good traction on skateboards. Because of this, you’re more likely to fall off your electric skateboard (especially when you’re cruising at higher speeds). Spending a bit extra cash on shoes made of leather or suede, with full ankle support, is well worth the investment. Not to mention that shoes with gummy/grippy soles are best for staying upright on your eSk8.
6. Inspect Your Skating Area
Even if you have an off-road e-skateboard, there are some environmental debris that could trip you up and make you bail (like an unexpected rock that jams up your motor). Wherever you want to ride, check the area out beforehand and make sure no life-threatening cracks and free of interference.
