Why Hoverboards are being banned

A family of five were left shocked when a hoverboard, they had purchased at a discount rate from a local shopping website in the UAE exploded while it was being charged.

Talking to Emirates24|7, the father said he was away at work when his upset 13-year-old daughter told him about the explosion. “Thankfully she was unhurt, but she was very scared.”

He had bought two hoverboards for Dh760 each, one of which was returned to the shopping site after it abruptly stopped working.

“Kids love hoverboards, but no one, not even seller, told us about how unsafe these are. Many parents are unaware of this, and I want to use my experience to spread awareness.

“I have thrown them out of my house, and will never allow my family to use it.”

Hoverboards are quite the rage with the younger generation, with many using them in residential areas and parks.

The Dubai Police had earlier issued a ban on their use in malls and roads, citing safety issues.

In October, Emirates24|7 had reported how the Abu Dhabi Police allowed the use of hoverboards only in designated areas. The alert followed an unfortunate incident where a child on a hoverboard was run over by a vehicle.

Many airlines including Dubai’s Emirates and the US’ Delta, Southwest and United have disallowed the transport of ‘mobile scooters’ in carry and check-in bags claiming it’s a ‘fire hazard’. The airline issued a circular advising its passengers not to carry hoverboards as it uses lithium batteries, which can cause fire.

Leading global online retailer Amazon has pulled out several models from its portal, including ones made by Swagway, no longer appear on Amazon's website, although some from smaller producers are still available.

Experts warn that cheaper hoverboards of inferior quality may be using substandard lithium-ion batteries, leading some of them to explode when overcharged or as a result of an accidental fall.

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