Safety, Liability and Building Riding Skills.
If you are like many of our customers, you have safety and liability concerns when it comes to purchasing a pumptrack. We get it; we have kids, too, and want to feel absolutely secure when they enjoy these very unique recreational structures. We also want to explain liability if you choose to install one of PARKITECT's Modular Pumptracks.
Pumptracks use a design that naturally encourages learning.
Well engineered pumptracks are built to naturally encourage learning important skills in a safe environment. The design should use unique and helpful features that allow kids and adults of all skill levels to enjoy them, without fear of injury.
- Low to the ground: All riding surfaces and all edges should be low to the ground, so riders are not at risk of falling from a high point.
- Rounded edges, gentle embankments, rollout zones and no rocks. Incorporate features intended to reduce injuries such as rounded edges, gentle embankments and built using perfect geometry which guarantees a safe riding flow.
- A place of learning safe from automotive traffic. Pumptracks are located away from traffic, making it a safer space to develop biking skills than other areas where riders share the road.
Build skills and confidence on wheels.
There is more to road safety than learning the rules of the road. On a pumptrack, riders move at their own speed and as they increase their speed, the track becomes more challenging to ride. This design intrinsically builds bike handling skills and enables riders to expand their "comfort zone" while safely navigating the “learning zone” on the pumptrack.
Building and learning these handling skills prepare riders to more safely maneuver their equipment in hazardous conditions or when faced with unexpected obstacles that could potentially push them into the "Panic Zone."
Taking commonsense precautions will eliminate most injuries.
Most injuries that occur on a pumptrack are light abrasions and scratches. The riding surface is anti-slick so it can be ridden while wet, however, that same tackiness grips and may scratch the skin. The good news is this same material is non-reactive and non-toxic, and an easier fall than asphalt. As with any other recreational activity, taking commonsense precautions will eliminate most injuries associated with riding a pumptrack.
- Always wear a helmet.
- Using other safety gear, such as elbow and knee pads, is strongly encouraged.
- Users should only ride within their abilities, always in control, able to stop at any time.
- Ride-on vehicles with 3 or more wheels such as karts, wagons, tricycles, bikes with training-wheels, strollers, etc. are not permitted.
- Permitting only one rider at a time will help maximize safety.
- If there is more than one rider on the track, all riders should ride in the same direction and maintain a safe distance between themselves to prevent collisions.
- Do not ride a pumptrack if it is incomplete or closed, in adverse weather, when lighting is poor, or if the riding surface is damaged.
- Owners and operators should visibly post the operating rules, safety signs and warnings in accordance with local laws and regulations. We recommend posting a phone number where users can report hazards or damage.
Our PARKITECT Modular Pumptracks are safety certified by TÜV, an international certification and testing authority.
If you are interested in installing a pumptrack in your public park, school system or for a special event, you probably want to understand what your liability is with such a structure. Products like our Modular Pumptracks that are located in public spaces are required to have a safety certificate. Our safety certificate, issued by TÜV, an internationally established leader in technical product safety and certification, confirms that all of the modules dispatched from our factory conform to the established standards for safety in wheeled sports facilities.
Are Pumptracks safe? Absolutely.
Pumptracks are a fun and exciting riding space that fosters important skill-building. If you haven’t yet had the chance to test out a PARKITECT Modular Pumptrack, fear not. They are the perfect sandbox for having fun and improving your agility. Grab your helmet and give it a try. We look forward to seeing you at the track!
