Characteristics of Emerging Road and Trail Users and Their Safety

Inline Skates

Inline skates, like their predecessors, quad-wheel skates, are used extensively throughout the United States for recreational and transportation purposes by people of all ages and athletic abilities (figure 1). They typically have three to five wheels of about 75 to 100 millimeters (mm) (3 to 4 inches) (Unless otherwise noted, all photos are by Bruce W. Landis.) with a single frame to a shoe or boot that is usually fairly stiff, providing good support and control. Unlike roller skates with two sets of wheels side by side (quad skates), inline skates can be used in much the same way as ice skates, resulting in more efficiency and higher speeds. Few quad skates are now in use, so this study focused on inline skates.

Figure 1. An inline skater.
(Unless otherwise noted, all photos are by Bruce W. Landis.)

Inline roller skates were first developed in the 18th century, preceding the quad skate design invented in the late 19th century; however, the technology then available, quad skates offered more control and became the standard for many years. In the early 1980s, inline skates were reborn based on modern technology, ultimately resulting in the remarkable increase in usage experienced in the 1990s.^(3,4,5) With smooth street surfaces and the introduction of polyurethane wheels, inline skates have become very useful devices for transportation and recreation on public ways.

Inline skating grew rapidly as a sport through the 1990s, stabilizing in recent years with about 29 million users in the United States.⁽⁶⁾ This represents primarily recreational users, but the growth in recreational users translates to growth in transportation use; many skaters soon realize the transportation potential of skates. As a result, skating is emerging as a mode of transportation.⁽⁷⁾

^3. National Museum of Roller Skating (NMRS), various Web pages. www.rollerskatingmuseum.com. Accessed April 23, 2002.

^4. Mathis, K. Inline Skating Still a Growth Leader. May 8, 1998. www.iisa.org/releases/980508-growth.htm. Accessed March 18, 2000.

^5. International Inline Skating Association (IISA), "Inline Skating Facts & Figures." www.iisa.org/numbers/index.htm. Accessed March 18, 2000.

^6. American Sports Data, Inc. Press Release, April 1, 2001. www.americansportsdata.com. Accessed April 23, 2002.

^7. Osberg, J. S., S. Faul, J. Poole, and J. McHenry. Skating: An Emerging Mode of Transportation. Presented at the 79^th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, January 10-14, 2000.