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Junior Chelsea Ruiz received her burgundy hoverboard last year when they were still a big hit on the Christmas wish list.
“My mom thought it looked really cool so she asked me if I wanted to give it a try and buy one and I said yes,” Ruiz said.
However, due to the dangers of riding a hoverboard, a new law was passed on Jan. 1 preventing anyone under the age of 16 from riding them in public.
According to Barbara Jones, Los Angeles Unified School District Public Information Officer, hoverboards and skateboards are now under the same category of rules in all LAUSD schools.
Many reported incidents of hoverboards bursting into flames caused them to earn a bad reputation.
“At least 20 universities have banned or restricted hoverboards on their campuses in recent weeks, saying the two-wheeled, motorized scooters are unsafe,” according to the article, “Colleges Are Starting To Ban ‘Hoverboards” published on Jan.7 on Huffington Post.
According to the Live Science website, the cause of this is the battery pack that the hoverboard uses.
Whether this is true or not, monitoring the charging process of the battery pack can help prevent it from catching fire.
“I always clean it and never overcharge it so I am not concerned about it blowing up,” freshman Taylor Devlught said.
Buying a hoverboard from a trusted seller, such as Amazon,who use high-quality components can also prevent it from bursting into flame, and avoid causing damage to the hoverboard.
You can also buy a good quality charger, which will prevent fire if it happens.
Riders also need to wear a helmet and can’t ride on streets unless the speed limit is under 35 mph.
If the rules are violated, a $250 fine has to be paid.
“People tell me the laws about it. I don’t like it,” Ruiz said.
The new laws for riding hoverboards as well as the many reports of “exploding” hoverboards tend to faze many people.
Ruiz, however, still feels confident about her hoverboard as well as her skills in riding it.
“I like that you can go anywhere with it,” Ruiz said.
