Some schools in Moncton, N.B., are putting the brakes on sneakers with wheels in the soles, banning them from playgrounds and hallways.
Heelys feature retractable wheels in the sole. Wearers can choose to roll on the wheels or walk normally. (CBC)
FROM MARCH 21, 2006: Risky ride underfoot from wheeled shoes: safety council
Hillcrest Elementary is among several schools to ban Heelys, and Grade 5 student Emily Boucher thinks it's probably a good idea.
"They're pretty easy to ride on and you'll catch on fast, but I think they're a little bit dangerous," she said. "If you fell, you could really hurt yourself."
Heelys are much like roller skates, except that they look like sneakers because the wheels can retract into the sole.
The popular footwear has become trendy in large cities across Canada, and is now making its way across the Maritimes.
The Canada Safety Council issued a warning about the Heelys, advising children to wear the same protective equipment that should be used for skateboarding and rollerblading, including helmets, elbow pads and knee pads.
The company includes an identical warning on its website.
"Some of the photographs that you may see on our site are of highly skilled, trained, professional adult skate team members, some of whom may not be wearing full gear," the company's warning continues. "This should only be attempted by professionals."
The safety council has also recommended banning the footwear from public buildings and shopping malls, school hallways and playgrounds.
"Young kids ride them, if I can use that expression, with reckless abandon," CSC president Emile Therian said.
"If you see children who are wearing these Heelys, they have no helmets and they have no knee pads or elbow pads so they put themselves at tremendously high risk."
Therian said schools could be held legally liable if a child falls or injures another in a collision caused by Heelys.