Driving on the Right Side of the Road
Information Sheet: In-line Skating
In-line skating has become one of the fastest-growing recreational sports for children and teenagers in the United States. Each year over 100,000 people are treated at hospital emergency rooms, doctor’s offices, clinics, and outpatient centers for injuries related to in-line skating. The majority of these patients are under 25 years old.[1] Since 2004, at least 87 children ages 14 and under have died from inline skating injuries; the majority of these deaths were from collisions with motor vehicles.[2] Most injuries can be avoided by following the rules of the road and wearing safety equipment.
In-line skating is the latest innovation in roller skating. Often called “rollerblading” due to a popular brand of in-line skates, it is estimated that there are about 20 million in-line skaters on our streets each year. In-line skates were developed in the 1980s for off season training of hockey players as the low-impact, gliding motions apply less injury-causing stress than jogging. Ankles are well protected because the boots are a heavy, thick plastic and rise above the ankle. By 1990, in-line skates were popular with recreational users.
Rules of the Road
Texas laws do not speak specifically to in-line skating. Laws that apply to pedestrians and bicycling may apply. A number of cities have specific ordinances that govern in-line skating. Check with your city's web site for ordinances that apply in your town or city. Shown below are several examples of the types of local laws that have been adopted by cities across the state:
· Many cities have made it against the law to skate on any public street except when crossing a street in a crosswalk. For instance, the City of San Marcos has the following ordinance:
o It is unlawful for a person upon roller skates, in-line skates, a skateboard or riding in or by means of any coaster, toy vehicle or similar device to go upon any public street, except while crossing a street in a crosswalk.[3]
o Several other cities have nearly identical ordinances.[4] However, cities may decide that an ordinance like this should not apply to roller skates, as Houston did in this ordinance:
§ No person riding in or by means of any coaster, toy vehicle, or similar vehicle, shall go upon any roadway, except while crossing such roadway in accordance with the pedestrian crossing regulations. The provisions of this section shall not apply to persons on roller skates.[5]
· It is not uncommon for a city to ban in-line skating in a certain area of the city.
For example:
o San Marcos has made it unlawful to ride in-line skates within the central business area zoning district.[6]
o Denton has made it unlawful to skate within 500 feet of certain intersections as long as signs are posted.[7]
o A Fort Worth ordinance bans in-line skating in designated parks and recreational areas where signs are posted indicating that skating is prohibited.[8]
o Galveston does not allow people to roller skate in the entertainment areas of the city unless the person has obtained approval from the city park board of trustees to do so.[9] Galveston also does not allow in-line skating in a specific area “between and including 19th and 25th Streets and between and including Water and Church Streets.” Violating the ordinance is punishable by a fine of up to $500.[10]
o San Antonio prohibits skating on walking and running tracks and trails in two city parks listed in an ordinance.[11]
· Cities are also likely to ban “skitching” or “clinging” to a vehicle on a roadway. An example is this ordinance from San Antonio:
o Any person riding upon any bicycle, motorcycle, coaster, roller skates, sled, or any toy vehicle shall not attach the same or himself to a moving vehicle upon any roadway.[12]
On the Safe Side
· Follow local and state traffic laws
· Look left, right, left before entering a roadway
· Don’t skate in areas with high pedestrian or vehicle traffic
· Always wear protective equipment: elbow and knee pads, light gloves, helmets, and wrist guards. Use heavy duty gear for tricks or roller hockey
· Don’t “skitch” (hold onto a moving vehicle)
· Don’t “snake” (cut in on someone else’s line)
· Take an introductory class on skating where you will learn proper stopping procedures, body posture for balance, warm up exercises, and what type of skates to buy
For More Information
www.aap.org/policy/re9739.html
www.aaos.org
www.biausa.org
www.cpsc.gov/kids/skate.html
www.nyssf.org
http://tmcec.com/Traffic/indexTraf.html
http://fcs.tamu.edu/safety/passenger_safety/youth_traffic_safety.php
Texas Safer Children: Rural Passenger Safety, Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas A & M University, 2002
1-10 Driving on the Right Side of the Road In-Line Skating 1
[1] Safeusa: http://www.safeusa.org/sports/skates.htm.
[2] Safe Kids USA http://www.usa.safekids.org/tier3_cd.cfm?folder_id=540&content_item_id=9530
[3] San Marcos Code Ordin. (Tex.) § 82.004 (1998).
[4] See Denton Code Ordin. (Tex.) § 18-11; Fort Worth Code Ordin. (Tex.) § 22-16; Galveston Code Ordin. (Tex.) § 34-2; San Antonio Code Ordin. (Tex.) § 38-21; Waco Code Ordin. (Tex.) § 25-9.
[5] Houston Code Ordin. (Tex.) §45-16 (1990).
[6] San Marcos Code Ordin. (Tex.) § 82.269 (1998).
[7] Denton Code Ordin. (Tex.) §18-13.
[8] Fort Worth Code Ordin. (Tex.) §24-18.
[9] Galveston Code Ordin. (Tex.) §20.5-18.
[10] Galveston Code Ordin. (Tex.) §24-18 (1999).
[11] San Antonio Code Ordin. (Tex.) § 22-26 (1998).
[12] San Antonio Code Ordin. (Tex.) § 19-285; see also Fort Worth Code Ordin. §22-14.