Should I Wear a Helmet With Roller Blades?

A 1999 survey of emergency room reports by the Consumer Products Safety Commission showed that no one is immune to a "spontaneous loss of balance," and statistics show that injuries are as common to experienced skaters as they are to beginners. Wearing a helmet while inline skating has been shown to significantly reduce head injuries.

  1. Inline Skating Laws

    • While no federal law exists mandating the use of helmets, 22 states have laws requiring helmets for juveniles, as of 2009. These laws applied only to bicyclists at first, but many states have broadened their laws to include inline skating. Others have not included inline skating in their wording. No state has enacted mandatory helmet laws for adults.

    Inline Skating Head Injuries

    • In 1999, the Consumer Products Safety Commission conducted a survey of hospital emergency room information regarding roller blading injuries and found that 5 percent involved head injuries. More than half of all injuries were classified as major, and both beginners and experienced roller bladers sustained injuries. In the same survey, only 20 percent of participants stated they wore helmets.

      A Texas A&M University paper on roller blading safety included facts obtained from the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, concluding that the use of bicycle helmets while roller blading has "been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by 85% and the risk of brain injury by as much as 88%."

    How to Fit a Helmet

    • While inline skating helmets exist, a bicycle helmet also will provide the necessary protection. The key to properly protecting the head is to purchase a helmet that fits.

      The helmet should be snug and not wobble on the head. No more than one finger should be able to fit between the helmet and the head. The top or crown of the helmet should rest on the front of the forehead, about one inch above the eyebrows, not canted back.

      The chin strap should be snug under the chin, but comfortable. The strap is intended to keep the helmet from sliding around on the head; a strap flapping around under your chin will not keep the helmet on in an accident.

      Helmets should be certified by the Consumer Products Safety Commission, which, with the assistance of the American Society of Testing Materials and American National Standards Institute, maintains a set of standards for helmet safety and manufacturing codes. While brand, cost, and style are up to the wearer, a brightly colored helmet will increase the visibility of the inline skater to motorized vehicles.

      Understand that helmets are not designed to last forever. Plan to replace your helmet every five years. It should also be replaced after any major falls or bumps. If a hit leaves a dent in the helmet, the rule of thumb is to replace it; the helmet's ability to absorb the shock of impact has been damaged.