Is Go Karting Safe for Children?

Go karting has long been a favourite activity among both children and adults. From the thrills and spills of the race track to imagining yourself as the next Lewis Hamilton and practising to beat your own personal best lap time, flying at top speed whilst go kart racing gives us a flavour of real racing.

But, if you’re a parent, grandparent or carer considering investing in a kids’ go kart for your little one, then you may be concerned about the potential safety hazards. After all, racing around a track at full throttle has to be dangerous, right?

Well, you might be surprised to learn just how safe go karting for kids actually is! In this guide, we’re going to show you why. We’ll also cover the amazing benefits that come along with it, give you some safety tips, and much more.

So, start your engines and let’s get going!

What is go karting?

Go karting is a scaled-down version of circuit racing sports like Formula One. It uses smaller, less powerful vehicles known as go karts and takes place on shorter race tracks either indoors or outdoors. All of the racers start at the same line, complete a set number of laps, and try to finish the race with the fastest time.

Go karting is a popular activity for things like kids’ birthday parties, but it’s also a competitive sport where a large number of the world’s most successful F1 drivers have started their motor-racing careers.

If you’re interested in learning more about go karting and teaching your children how to drive a go kart safely, then check out our beginner’s guide to go karting.

What hazards are associated with go karting?

Many parents assume that go karting is a highly dangerous activity and that it should be avoided by younger children. However, go kart racing is actually a lot safer than you might think, provided that the proper precautions are taken before letting them behind the wheel.

The two most common hazards associated with go karts are the kart flipping over or the kart being mounted by another kart if there is a collision at speed. Whilst these accidents do occasionally happen when adult karts are raced at top speed, the likelihood of them happening on a karting track that’s designed for youngsters is incredibly low.

Kids’ go karts don’t have nearly as much power as adult go karts and, as such, can only go at lower speeds. Plus, any racing tracks used by children should have safety barriers or tyre walls around the edge to help prevent injuries, and the karts themselves usually have thick bumpers to lessen the effects of any collisions.

What are the benefits of go karting for children?

So, there aren’t many hazards that are associated with go kart racing for kids, but there are plenty of benefits to be gained from spending a little time at a karting track with your kids!

Physical fitness

The act of controlling the steering wheel of a go kart is quite physically demanding due to the resistance that comes from the kart itself. This makes steering the kart a good form of upper-body exercise and an excellent way of building strength, both of which are great if your child is involved in other sports that require any level of fitness.

If you’ve ever spent any time whizzing around your local track, you’ll know that go karting is a fast-paced, exciting activity. This means it’s also fantastic for filling your kids with a real buzz of adrenaline! Yet, adrenaline doesn’t just make you feel excited – it’s actually good for your physical health.

Adrenaline leads to an increased heart rate, heightened senses, dilated blood vessels, and opened air passages. If your child becomes a regular at the go kart track, the physical benefits of adrenaline will start to take hold. Adrenaline has even been shown to improve memory and circulation!

Mental and social development

All organised sports are great for kids, and go karting is no exception. If your kid has their own go kart that they ride alone, they’ll still have a blast, but riding at a track with other kids around their age is a totally different experience.

They’ll learn all about competition, fairness, and sportsmanship. They’ll also learn how to push themselves to master a skill and get a huge sense of satisfaction as they start to improve. This helps to increase their self-esteem and makes them more confident in their own abilities.

Go karting is a great way for your child to socialise with other kids as well. It helps to teach them about respecting others, and it’ll help them to make friends with kids outside of their usual social circles.

Another brilliant thing about go karting is that it’s fairly unpredictable. You could be leading the way on your first lap, only to find yourself at the back minutes later. When you’re waiting at the start line, you’re never quite sure what’s going to happen.

This makes go karting a good way for your child to learn about adaptability. This is a transferrable skill that they can use to deal with changes and obstacles that appear in their own lives when they’re not on the go kart track.

Age restrictions for go karting

There are no age restrictions on kids riding their own kart around at home, but all karting tracks will have minimum height and minimum age restrictions. The majority of the tracks in the UK require a child to be at least 8 years old to use their go karts.

However, there are some that can cater to kids as young as 4 years old. These tracks have sections that are specifically designed for younger riders as well as low-powered karts that are safe for little kids to use.

For riders aged 8 to 13 years old, there are higher-powered karts called cadet karts. These are faster than the karts used by younger kids but still not as fast as the ones used by adults.

How to ensure go karting safety

Although the risks of go karting are relatively low, there are several steps that can be taken to make it even safer for your child.

Pre-ride preparations

As with other activities, such as riding kids’ electric scooters, there are a number of safety precautions that should be taken before your kid even gets into the go kart.

One of the first things to bear in mind is the clothing your child wears when go karting. If they don’t have access to a race suit, then ensure that they wear comfortable clothing that is tight enough to prevent any materials from getting trapped in the kart’s wheels or engine but loose enough to allow them to move freely.

Your child should also always wear a helmet. If they don’t have their own helmet, then one will be provided for them at the track. This is, without question, the most important safety precaution to take when go karting.

Another vital safety precaution is making sure your child wears a safety harness. You would never drive without wearing a seatbelt, right? Well, the same goes for go karts. If you find that the go karts at a track don’t have safety harnesses, then don’t allow your child to use the karts. Even if your child is only driving at a slower speed, wearing a harness will still protect them if a faster driver bumps into them.

Safety briefing and instructions

The instructors at the track will give your child a safety briefing before they start driving their go kart. This will include instructions about how to use the kart in the safest way possible. If your child has never used a go kart before, the instructor will spend some time teaching them how to accelerate, brake, and steer.

If your child is learning to go kart using their own vehicle at home, then you’ll need to read the instruction manual and guide them through the process yourself.

Supervision

When riding a go kart at a track, your child will be supervised by an instructor. They’ll monitor the race and make sure that there are no safety issues. They’ll also be able to give your child some advice after the race about where they can improve their driving.

It’s a good idea for you to be there to watch them race as well. You can give them encouragement when they do well and emotional support if they don’t do so well.

If they are go karting at home, make sure you do not let them out of your sight.

Conclusion: Is go karting safe for children?

Despite the understandable concerns that many parents have, riding a go kart is actually very safe for kids. Due to the low power and speed of the karts that children use, the risk of injury is pretty low. Plus, if you take the right safety precautions before your child gets into a go kart, then the risk is even lower!

Check out the range of Drift Go Karts and Pedal Go Karts to find the one that’s perfect for your child.

FAQs about go karting safety for kids

At what age should my child start go karting?

Most children start go karting when they’re around 6 or 7 years old. However, they can start earlier than this. Most tracks in the UK don’t cater to children under the age of 8, but it’s possible to find ones that do.

If your child wants to start getting a feel for being in a go kart nice and early, then you should check out our kids’ pedal go karts. They’re suitable for kids aged 3 to 5 years old.

How fast do kids’ go karts go?

The type of karts designed for kids to use at tracks typically reach speeds of between 10mph and 25mph, although some will go as fast as 40mph. This makes them much safer to use than the karts that adults drive, which go much, much faster.