Image Credits: Günther Mayrwöger, at Pixabay
Kids go karts are likely one of the most exciting ways to keep your kids highly entertained, and there's a good chance that you've argued for your fair share of riding time on more than one occasion.
However, because of the fantastic level of fun that can be had from riding these machines it is all too easy for parents to forget that even though these items are indeed designed for use by children there is still the potential for very serious injury. With great fun comes great responsibility and there are fundamental safety issues and elements that should never be taken for granted.
First, no matter where your child rides their go-kart, they need to have a full set of protective gear on at all times. It's important to note that kart safety gear is required regardless of the riding location or conditions because many parents have made the mistake of letting their children ride without protective gear simply because they were riding on a soft surface such as sand.
While it is possible that a child may suffer less severe injuries landing on sand compared to pavement, cement or asphalt, there is still the distinct possibility that the vehicle could flip or turn over on top of your child. And this type of accident can be very dangerous regardless of the type of surface beneath them.
In addition, there is also the possibility of hard rocks, objects with jagged edges and other covered objects just below the surface that are hidden by the sand. Get your kids to completely gear up each time they go out regardless of where they'll be riding.
It's also very important to note that gas models of kids go karts should never be operated indoors (a valid exception would be an indoor track located at a professional, fully licensed facility that has the proper industrial ventilation system that is required for safe and healthy riding conditions according to local or state regulations and laws.
Although it may seem to be a matter of common sense to mention this, owners have been known to make the dangerous assumption that it was safe to operate these machines indoors because of their smaller size. The carbon monoxide and emissions produced are very dangerous.
Of course, we do not wish to worry parents or make them paranoid about letting their child ride their go-kart anywhere other than up and down the driveway.
But we do very much want to make sure that you are able to help your child stay safe and minimize the potential for accidents and injuries that could prevent them from continuing to have amazing fun with their go-kart!