You fall, you learn. It is that simple. And anyone who knows their way around riding a longboard is very well aware of this fact. Now, although inevitable, there are a handful of precautions and measures that you can take to minimize the potential damage and pain from these experiences.
Better safe than sorry, right? And we are therefore dedicating this article to educate you on How to Prevent Longboard Accidents with just a few smart and efficient steps. Let’s start!
Proper Longboard Gear.
Longboards are amazing. They are one of the cheapest and most efficient ways to get from point A to point B. However, one thing you have to understand here is that your commute on a longboard is very much “open”.
In other words, you are not protection inside and under a shield of steel and metal like you would in a car. And when there is furthermore speed involved in the process, there are bound to be some terrible falls, trips, scratches, and bruises.
The first and foremost ways to prevent and minimize this is through wearing the right gear while you are longboarding. This includes wearing a helmet to protect your head; a pair of knee and elbow pads that will protects you from knee injury; and probably a pair of gloves as well.
Now, we know that dressing like you are going to war isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it is nice to have a whole set of teeth. And anyway, you can always eliminate the gear after you become a pro at longboarding.
One more tip is that you wear thick clothes instead of on thin, flowy ones that sway with the wind. Thicker, heavier clothes will remain as if against the speed, and furthermore, keep you warm out in the open. This is, of course, subjective to the weather and season, but you get it.
Stretch and flex.
One of the things that makes a longboard so amazing is that does not need fuel. Your body, mostly your legs, is its working force.
Now, before you jump on the deck and speed right away, the smarter thing to do is take a minute or two to flex and stretch your body. Do a squat or two, bend over, work your biceps and calves.
You know, some basic PT stuff. Like it is with any physically demanding activity, like running, sprinting, dancing; you need to “condition” and warm up the body for the work ahead.
This process, though short and quick, plays a huge role in preventing longboard accidents. Flexing and stretching will warm up your muscles, especially in the morning when you are up from sleep, and get them ready for work.
As a result, you are drastically less likely to experience muscle spasms, hamstring injuries, muscle pull, etc.
Follow traffic and local rules.
We never thought we’d have to cover this point, but people can be extremely dumb and stupid so yeah… . . . .One of the best ways to prevent the worst of longboard accidents is following traffic rules.
We cannot even begin to stress on the statistics of the number of people who have incurred some serious and even fatal injuries due to them not abiding by the rules.
First of all, always try and use the pedestrian walk for your cruising. This is especially true when it is rush hour and the streets are teeming with vehicles.
Don’t break the red light in case you are on the vehicle street. Speaking of which, one thing we strongly advice is to avoid using a longboard altogether on the highway, especially at after dusk. That is an absolute no from us. It is like playing with death.
Apart from this, cruise slow nears schools, look left and right before crossing. And for god’s sake, stop competing with the cyclists. Be smart. Don’t let natural selection do its thing, ey?
Start slow.
Whether you are a leaner who is just starting on the board, or a very pro level boarder who knows their stuff; it is absolutely instinctual and almost a given that you will try to scoot out to your destination on a rocket speed……and that is not okay.
See, we understand the love of speed. The wind blowing through your face and hair, and well…. wanting to reach work or college or home faster. But speeding from the get-go is just a bad idea.
This is how to invite longboard accidents. Always start the journey at a low speed, and then slowly begin to work your way up. It is much more efficient, won’t wear you out physically as fast, and is furthermore safe.
One thing you MUST know about is the dangers of speeding on downhill roads. Don’t accelerate at all, in fact. It is a downward road and the law of gravity will do its job just fine. Don’t push it or you’ll fall face first on the hard concrete.
In case of emergency.
Alright. Let’s face some facts. No matter how religiously you try not to get hurt, or not get into accidents; or follow rules and laws and precaution. The truth is, you WILL get into some trouble at one point or the other. This, by no means, reflects your competence. It just means you are learning! But what do you do in a situation like that?
Well, the first thing to do is stay calm. Do not panic. We know it is easier said than done when the fear and adrenaline rush in pumping through your streams after a bad fall or accident, but panicking will make things only worse from there on.
The second most import thing to do is to just lie back for a while. Do not try to sprint up or get back up on your knees immediately. You could be terribly injured and not even know it. So, lie on your back and try to take deep breaths.
And finally, if you think your injury is too bad to brush off, then try and call (or get someone to call) 911 or your local distress number, right away.
You want to get medical attention as soon as possible after an emergency to make sure the matter does not get out of hand. Always avoid Longboard accidents and keep enjoying!
