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American Morning
The Government is Issuing a Warning on the Use of Scooters
Aired August 22, 2001 - 09:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Serious news, especially for the people out there using scooters. A warning today from the government about the risk of injuries from those popular motorized scooters.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission says that 2,250 people have been injuries so far with scooters this year. That's on track to surpass last year's estimate of nearly 4,400 injuries. Motorized scooters can travel at speeds between 10 to 20 miles per hour. Some scooters can cost as much as $1,000.
Joining us now from New York to talk about scooter injuries is Anne Brown, who chairs the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Anne, good to see you again.
ANNE BROWN, CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMM.: Good morning, Daryn.
KAGAN: Is it important to stress that we're talking about motorized scooters here, or just scooters in general are dangerous?
BROWN: We are talking about motorized scooters. They are the hot new trend, the next generation of scooters. And in fact, many people are trying to put motors on their kids' scooters, or even manufactures are now putting either a little electric motor with a battery or a gas-powered motor on a scooter. And these things can really take off.
They're very hard to control when you first take off, and they're have also been, in addition to the injuries you mentioned, there the have been three deaths, one on August 15th, a little six-year-old boy in California.
KAGAN: Which brings to mind, age appropriate. Are there certain ages that kids or adults should be using this, or not using motorized scooters?
BROWN: Well, 40 percent of the injuries that we find are to kids under 15. And our experts at the CPSC say that no child under 12 should try to use one of these. That they just don't have the physical coordination or strength, under 12, to use it.
Some manufactures suggest under 16, but we don't think that's real world. We think that they can use them under 12, but -- they can use them at 12 or over, but not under 12. KAGAN: And often when you stop by, too, to talk about a product that actually there's something wrong with the product. In this case it doesn't sound like there's something wrong with the product, rather in the judgment people use when using the scooter.
BROWN: That's exactly right. We have not found defective scooters, but we do advise people to absolutely wear the gear, the helmets, the knee pads, the elbow pads. It will cost you $35, and when you consider that you could spend four to seven, to $1,000 on the scooters, that's a very small investment.
Also, don't ride at night. The best place to ride is either on a church parking lot or a school playground. Then you can have some fun, but out on the street could also be dangerous.
KAGAN: Very good. On a personal note, how much longer do we have you around before you take off for other pastors?
BROWN: I am leaving on November 1st to start a group called SAFE, A Safer America For Everyone, and will continue to be here on CNN talking out about safety.
KAGAN: You are always welcomed.
BROWN: Thank you.
KAGAN: Anne Brown. I was hoping it wasn't the last we're going to see of you, and it sounds like it's not.
BROWN: Never!
KAGAN: Thanks for stopping by. Very good.
BROWN: Glad to be here.
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