Hoverboards can seemingly be very dangerous things. Good thing that the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has some advice to keep you safe, then.
The CPSC explains in a note from its chairman that it’s “actively investigating a number of companies that make or sell hoverboards”. It’s not just studying things like battery packs and power supplies though, but the risk of, err, falling off the things. From the note:
At first glance, it is easy to believe the risk of falling off a hoverboard is an obvious one and to dismiss those injuries as user inexperience or error… [but] current designs of these products might not take fully into consideration the different weights of different users, potentially leading to the units speeding up or lurching in a manner that a user would not have reason to anticipate.
Scary stuff. But while the CPSC investigate these very serious problems, it has some general advice that all hoverboard users are urged to follow:
- Have a working fire extinguisher nearby while charging or using these boards.
- Charge in an open area away from combustible materials.
- Gear up before riding, which means putting on a skateboard helmet, elbow and knee pads and wrist guards.
- And, do not use a hoverboard on or near a road.
Stay safe, ‘boarders — and always carry a fire extinguisher.