Longboarding is an inherently dangerous sport, but there are steps you can take to minimize the risk to both yourself and those around you.
When you are out on the road it is important to understand that the decisions you make carry a lot of weight on the road. It does not matter how good a rider you are or that you have a helmet, knee pads, and leathers, if you are not making safe decisions then you will get hurt. That said you should always wear a helmet when you’re on your board, or anything like a bike or skateboard for that matter.
Rider safety is the first thing to understand (I even see experienced riders forget this) is that you SHARE the road. The road belongs to everyone. The minute you step on the road, the same rules and laws that apply to cars apply to you. Abiding by these rules is the best way to keep yourself safe when on the road. Don’t speed past stop signs, they are there to protect you and others. Obviously we as riders are bending the rules a bit when we decide to sesh a hill, but that is all a part of making the right choices; do NOT sesh a hill that is also a busy street. If you have reason to believe that there will be heavy traffic then don’t sesh that hill. It’s as simple as that.
When you’re out on the local hills the best thing to do is to be aware and skate with a friend. Take turns spotting for each other. Unless you can see through solid objects, there is no other way to see if that corner your about to take is safe or not, or if there is a car coming through the intersection. There are many ways to skate safe and still shred hard. If you see a car coming up or down the hill your are riding, call your buddies and get off the hill till it passes. Stay away from cars. Humans are squishy, cars aren’t.
The advantage that riders who also drive have over non-drivers is the road sense that they have acquired while driving. This road sense is very important and is something that should be passed to the younger riders that do not have the same opportunity. What is happening out there today is riders are starting younger and younger, and with younger riders on the road, the more important it is to educate them on how to be safe on the roads.
As parents there is no doubt that you will worry about your kids out skating the local hills (I know my parents sure do). Since a lot of kids are starting out before they have any actual road experience it is very important to take the time to sit with your kids and make sure they understand how to be safe on the road. This can be the difference between a fun time and an accident. This includes teaching them what lane to be in at all times and how to properly signal turns as well as slowing/stopping. To the car behind you, pendying before a stop sign just looks like you are falling in front of them.
In terms of the spots your group of friends rides, if you plan on being able to skate a spot more than once, respect that spot! Do not leave your trash, water bottles, backpacks and whatever else on resident’s property. Do as much as possible to build a raport with residents. Show them how organized you can be.
One of the biggest contributions to accidents or injury is dangerous skating from others. If your buddy is making bad decisions, be sure to let them know. They are being a hazard to themselves and others including you! If your buddy refuses to compromise, then DON’T skate with them! We want to see you skate safe and grow as a rider. Finally, when you are out riding it is important to be at peace with yourself when hitting the local hills, what I mean by this is to be comfortable with the fact that you are going to fall every now and then. As long as you are making smart choices when out on the road then you will greatly minimize the risk of serious injury.