The SmartDrive is safe for children to use- but we do recommend the best way to ensure safety is to train them on proper tapping and braking techniques. Moreover, we have included the ability to limit the max speed of the SmartDrive (from 0.5 miles per hour to 5.5 miles per hour) as well as the acceleration rate of the SmartDrive. For someone who is just learning to push or to use a SmartDrive we recommend setting both very low.