ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – After several local crashes, St. Johns County commissioners discussed a proposed e-bike safety ordinance during their meeting Tuesday.
County officials talked about the latest draft of a proposed ordinance during their Tuesday meeting. However, no decision was made, and commissioners decided to turn the proposal into a resolution for future discussion.
Recommended Videos
According to the county, as more people come to the booming area, officials are noticing more people on scooters and e-bikes. Now the county is trying to find a way to make the roadways safer for everyone.
Colin Lytle, who lives in St. Johns County, said he’s seen a huge rise in the e-bikes. He didn’t realize how popular they were in the area until he came home from college a year ago on a break.
Since then, every time he’s in his parents’ neighborhood, he sees them fly by.
Last year, the state of Florida reported 79 e-bike crashes, which is why the county wants the state to start considering e-bikes and e-scooters as motorized vehicles.
While there are some signs saying “No motorized vehicles or e-bikes or scooters” in St. Johns County, they’re not there throughout the whole county.
It would require anyone under 18 years old to wear a helmet while riding a motorized device.
Anyone under 14 would be prohibited from operating any e-bike, motorcycle, or electric motorized device. This wasn’t in the previous proposed draft.
It will also prohibit any motorized device on a county sidewalk or road at a speed of more than 10 mph.
These proposed rules come after multiple e-bike crashes in the last few months, including a 12-year-old boy who was in critical condition after a crash in Julington Creek Plantation.
RELATED: Middle school boy critically injured in e-bike crash in St. Johns County
