My wife and I tried inline skating some years back. The skating part was pretty easy; stopping was the tough part. Our skates were donated to a kids inline hockey program.
There's an element of risk of injury in any physical activity that one does. Inline skating is no more risky that other activities. That's what they make protective gear for.
We just finished a skate park at my high school. One of the parents who helped get the project finished was at the facility a few nights ago. This gal is close to fifty and attempting to learn to ride a skateboard. She was geared up with a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist braces. When I stopped to visit with her she made sure that I noticed the protective pants she was wearing. She was wearing padded pants (pants with built in hip pads) designed for skateboarding. After watching her try a few moves I think the gear helped her bounce much more efficiently. She bounced off the concrete numerous times without injury.
-Philip