Electric scooters make the daily commute more convenient, fun, and easy. All you have to do is hop on and enjoy the ride. However, like any other vehicle that involves speed, there is a relatively high risk of serious injury to the body and accidents. Safety is a major concern and the best way to avoid injuries is to buy safety accessories, especially if you’re a novice in this area.
Can you ride electric scooters in Adelaide while minimizing your risk of injury?
Your risk component depends on several factors – starting with your experience with two wheelers on the tarmac, the safety gear you have on you, and situational awareness. In this guide, we’ll take a look at 8 safety accessories for electric scooter riders.
Tire Slime
Also known as tire sealant, tire slime is a cost-effective way of preventing flat tires. Slime can be added to the tires of a new electric scooter and prevent you from having to replace the tire or inner tube. This option is great for electric scooters with pneumatic tires – the air can cushion your ride and improve your traction.
The only problem with air filled tires is that they are prone to getting flat, especially if your tires have inner tubes.
Tire slime minimizes the instances of tire flats.
Safety Vest
Safety vests are designed to improve your visibility on the road. When riding on an electric scooter, it is very important to wear something brightly coloured so that other drivers on the road can see you.
Safety vests are not very fashionable, but they will make you more visible to drivers, and it is highly recommended to have them on you at all times, especially during low light conditions.
Gloves
Since you’ll have your hands on the handlebar at all times, it is important to protect them at all times. A decent pair of riding gloves can keep your hands comfortable and provide protection to the skin in the event of a crash.
When buying gloves, you should choose ones that are appropriate for your speeds. At lower speeds, you can get away with nearly any level of thickness. However, at higher speeds, we recommend getting thicker gloves to protect your skin. A good option is to buy motorcycle gloves because they are designed for rugged use and high speed thrills.
Phone Holder
If you can’t live without your phone, get a phone holder to minimize distraction on the road. It can also be convenient to follow GPS directions should you ever lose your way. With a phone holder, you can safely check for notifications without having to let go of the handlebars and risk injury.
Most phone holders can be easily placed on most scooter handlebars and stay firmly in place. They keep you and your phone secure.
D-Lock
A lock can make it more inconvenient for potential thieves to run away with your prized possession when you’re not around. They are particularly useful if you park your electric scooter in a public park for an extended length of time.
The best lock you can buy for your scooter is one that fits. Make sure to buy the smallest cable lock, chain, or D-lock that can prevent tools from being inserted between the scooter and the lock.
Pro tip: Make sure to do your research when buying a lock for your electric scooter.
Front Lights
You will need proper front lights that can illuminate the path in front of you at dark. Most electric scooters come with dim lights, but they don’t work very well.
You can remedy this by attaching bright headlights that improve your visibility to other riders on the road and help you see better at night.
These days, you can find front headlights that can be easily mounted on the handlebar.
Eye Protection
Besides having a helmet on you at all times, it is absolutely essential to wear eye protection because your electric scooter does not come with a windshield. At higher speeds, even something as small as a bug can easily injure your eyes and lead to distractions.
You can also use sunglasses when the sun is at its brightest. But for travelling at night, we recommend photochromic glasses that are designed for use in the dark.
Helmet
This is the most important piece of equipment for electric scooter riders. At the bare minimum, we recommend buying a CPSC certified helmet that can protect your head in case you fall down at high speeds.
You can easily find a plethora of motorcycle helmets on Amazon and other places. Make sure to buy one that has safety certifications!
