ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Johns County School District are teaming up to educate students about e-bike safety.
The push comes as injuries and crashes connected to electronic bikes and other electric motorized devices surge.
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Crashes more than doubled from eight in all of 2024 to 20 in the first five months of 2025.
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Since the beginning of 2024, the sheriff’s office has responded to 209 e-bike incidents, which include something as simple as riding through a stop sign or not wearing a helmet.
This summer, deputies have been stopping young riders to explain safety rules and talk with their parents, and in some cases, writing tickets, with over 200 contacts made in the last two months.
“Obviously, it’s hard to write a ticket to a 10-year-old; that’s not our goal. It’s to educate and involve the parents and meet them there,” St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Director Russ Martin said.
During a county commission meeting on Tuesday, the school district said it initially plans to implement a classroom curriculum in 17 district middle schools by Christmas.
The Sheriff’s Office and the commission are promoting “S.A.F.E.T.Y.” practices:
- Stay visible: If operating on any public roadway, an electric bicycle, electric motorcycle or other electric motorized devices should have a front white light, a rear red light, turn signals and an audible horn capable of being heard within twenty feet of a vehicle under normal operating conditions.
- Avoid accidents: Operators should yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and take such precautions as may be necessary to avoid accidents or collision causing injury to any person or property.
- Far-right: If a bicycle lane is not available, operators should ride on the far-right side of the travel lane.
- Exercise due care: Operators should use due care while operating on sidewalks and verbally announce they are approaching pedestrians as required by Florida law.
- Ten mph or less: If operating on a pedestrian path, operators should limit their speed to 10 mph or less.
- Your helmet: Operators of e-bikes, e-scooters and other electric motorized devices should wear a helmet.
The board formally voted unanimously in favor of a resolution promoting safety for operators of e-bikes, e-scooters, and other electronic motorized devices, encouraging safe usage practices, education, and enforcement efforts.