Powered ride-on toys — electric cars, motorcycles, scooters, and ATVs designed for children — are among the most popular gifts of any holiday season. They are also fast enough to cause serious head injuries in a crash, and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns that most parents do not follow the age and speed guidelines that manufacturers provide for exactly this reason.
The Speed and Age Problem
Children’s powered ride-on vehicles range from slow, low-powered units appropriate for toddlers to high-powered models capable of reaching 12 to 15 miles per hour — fast enough to cause traumatic brain injury in a crash. Many parents select a vehicle based on their child’s enthusiasm rather than the manufacturer’s age and weight limits, placing young children in vehicles they lack the physical and cognitive ability to safely control at operating speed.
CPSC warns that even low-speed ride-on vehicles pose risks on uneven terrain, near traffic, and near bodies of water. A child traveling at 5 miles per hour on a hard surface who strikes a curb or tips on a slope can sustain significant head and face injuries.
What Parents Must Know Before Buying or Allowing Use
- Match the vehicle to the manufacturer’s age, height, and weight limits exactly. These limits reflect the speed and control demands of the specific model.
- Require a properly fitted, certified helmet for every ride without exception, regardless of the vehicle’s speed.
- Never allow a child to operate a powered ride-on vehicle near traffic, near water, on uneven terrain, or anywhere a fall could result in contact with a hard surface.
- Never modify a ride-on vehicle to increase its speed beyond manufacturer specifications.
- Supervise young children on ride-on vehicles at all times — do not leave them unsupervised.
- Follow all age and speed guidance on the product label before allowing a child to use the vehicle.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, visit SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772.
Source: https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Guides/Sports-Fitness-and-Recreation/Ride-On-Toy-Safety
