The Accident Compensation Corporation is monitoring the use of lightweight scooters after a spate of accidents overseas.
A United States consumer protection agency said this week that nearly 9500 Americans, mostly children, had been taken to hospital this year after scooter accidents.
The statistics had prompted the ACC to issue guidelines for scooter use, says a spokesman, Richard Ninness.
It had no record of scooter accidents here, and was studying overseas data.
"It's relatively new. We have not had a chance to see what injuries are coming through, and whether we can target something specific to them," Mr Ninness said.
ACC wanted users, parents, schools and retailers to try to minimise the risk of injury, he said.
Users should follow transport bylaws, and should wear protective equipment such as helmets and wrist guards. Skateboarding was probably the closest activity to scootering in terms of accident risk, Mr Ninness said.
In 1998-99, ACC processed 441 skateboard injury claims and paid $568,000 in compensation.
A Land Transport Safety Authority spokesman, Craig Dowling, said scooters were in the same vehicle category as skateboards and in-line skates.
- NZPA
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