CPSC Chairman Ann Brown Releases Alarming Number Of Projected Roller Blading Injuries For 1994

The Consumer Product Safety Commission released some alarming information today on in-line skating, more commonly known as roller blading. CPSC projects a dramatic increase in serious injuries for 1994, more than double the number of injuries in 1993.

CPSC projects that this year U.S. hospital emergency rooms will treat 83,000 roller blading injuries, compared with an estimated 37,000 in 1993. Children under the age of 15 will sustain nearly 60 percent of these injuries. Nearly 49,000 children will be treated this year in hospital emergency rooms for in-line skating injuries. Almost 23,000 of these injuries to children will be fractures - up from almost 8,000 last year, nearly three times last year's total. Another 7,000 will be head injuries - up from over 2,000 last year, again, a three-fold increase.

Chairman Ann Brown said, "School's out and skating is in. This sport is dangerous and the injuries are serious. The CPSC wants your summer roller blading fun to be outdoors and in the sun - not indoors and in the hospital."

The CPSC staff has not identified anything wrong with the skates and has not identified design fixes that would reduce the number of injuries. Factors contributing to roller blading injuries include a lack of protective gear, a lack of skill or instruction for novice skaters, and possibly high-risk behavior.

The CPSC staff estimated the injury costs to society at $180 million for 1993, including physicians and hospital bills, pain and suffering, and missed work by caretakers and those injured. The average injury, based on last year's figures, cost about $5,000. The best investment against injury is protective gear, which costs between $50 and $100 and includes a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards. CPSC began its investigation of in-line skates in mid-l991 because of the escalating number of injuries reported with this product. Since 1992, the agency has tracked emergency room information for its in-line skating study and in December of 1992 completed an in-line skating focus group study. A Centers for Disease Control study using CPSC data on in-line skating will appear in the June 15 Journal of the American Medical Association. The CPSC recommends the following safety guidelines:

-Always wear protective gear, which includes: a helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, and wrist guards.

-Take lessons or get instructions if you are a beginner skater. Learn how to control your speed, turn, brake, and stop.

-Do not skate in motor vehicle traffic.

-Avoid skating at night.

-Skate on smooth, paved surfaces. Avoid pavements with water, oil, debris, sand, gravel, and dirt.

-Never wear anything that restricts hearing or obstructs vision.