Imagine hitting the pavement, hard. You try to figure out what was hurting more, your body or your self-esteem. After spending up to $500 to buy a hoverboard that just knocked you to the ground, now even more money is being spent going to the emergency room to check the injuries.
Injury after injury has been occurring because of one of the hottest holiday presents of 2015. Priced at around $400 to $500, people have been buying and raving about the hoverboards throughout the holiday season. The growing sales add to growing number of injuries too.
According to the article “Hoverboard Fires, Injuries Soar Amid Safety Probe” by CBS News, “people are being sent to the emergency room and fires have been started because of the hoverboards.”
They may be cool new toys, but the dangers are costly.
Kids and adults alike have shown interest in riding the hoverboards and owning them. They are amazed when seeing someone riding it without trouble or injury.
The article “Hoverboard Injuries, Fires on Rise” by Kathleen Doheny on WebMD says, “The injuries treated in emergency rooms include fractures, strains, sprains, contusions, lacerations and head injury.”
Sophomore Jazman Davenport had some problems with her hoverboard. “My step-dad did. He jumped off the front and fell into a tree,” Davenport said.  
Not only are injuries adding to the cost of owning a hoverboard, but their problems are putting every user and owner at risk.
Issues with the hoverboard have been causing some of the boards to catch on fire while they are charging.
The article “Why Are ‘Hoverboards’ Literally Catching Fire?” by NPR News says the issue with the “hoverboards have been burning up because of problems with their lithium ion batteries.”
College campuses are also banning hoverboards from campus because of their dangers.
According to NewsObserver in an article “Triangle Colleges Ban Hoverboards, Citing Fire Risk” by Jane Stancill “colleges and universities have taken action to ban the self-balancing scooters from campus buildings because of fire concerns related to the lithium-ion batteries related to the device.”
Hoverboards have been banned from resident halls at Campbell, Duke, Meredith and many other colleges.
The fire risks have lead to the chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Elliot Kaye, making a statement about the dangers of the hoverboards. Kaye’s statement suggests that hoverboards should not be charged overnight or right after riding. Kaye’s also says that it is best to buy a hoverboard from a location, somewhere that the hoverboard could easily be returned to. Kaye gives other tips about being safe along with other tips about being safe like do not charge right after riding and do not ride near vehicles.
Senior Sarah Giramia is not supportive of people purchasing the expensive toy.
“They’re ridiculous. We’re going to end up like those people in WALL-E,” Giramia said.
We will eventually become completely reliant on technology, just like the characters in the Disney Pixar movie WALL-E.
Junior Brittany Day learned how to ride a friend’s hoverboard.
“I don’t want to spend that much money because it will get boring fast,” Day said.
Yes, hoverboards are turning into something that almost everyone wants. Hoverboards are dangerous for any age. Hoverboards are not worth the money, especially if they catch on fire or someone gets a serious injury and are paying for a hospital visit. Hoverboards are hazardous and not worth the risks.