Students love electric bikes, but we are concerned that when used at higher speeds, they pose a major safety concern. Recent fatal E-Bike accidents in Florida include the death of a man on the Julia Tuttle Causeway on Aug. 19 and another in Port Charlotte on Sept. 24. Both resulted in fatalities for the cyclists hit. We believe E-Bikes, like golf carts, should require a test to show the riders know the safety restrictions and rules of using an E-Bike. If they pass the test, they will receive a license to ride the E-Bike that they must keep on their person. Violations of safety rules can result in the loss of the license.
The problem that has occurred in our community is that teenagers ride their bikes at night or during the evening which makes it hard for other pedestrians to see them. These kids are prone to performing tricks such as wheelies while on the road going over 20 mph. It is not only dangerous to the kids on the bike, but to pedestrians and bikers they might come into contact with. In the village of Key Biscayne, they banned certain electric vehicles last year, after a woman on a bicycle collided with a 12-year-old boy who was riding an electric bicycle. The 66-year-old woman later died from her injuries.The village is now considering lifting that ban, and a discussion on the issue is expected to take place at a meeting Tuesday night.
While E-Bikes are allowed on bike lanes, multi-use paths, public roads and sidewalks, they can reach high speeds and have a higher percentage of falling or crashing. These E-Bikes reach very high speeds, making them comparable to a motorcycle rather than a bicycle. Florida does not require a license, registration or insurance to ride an E-Bike, but riders must wear a helmet if under the age of 16. These regulations are not enough to prevent accidents since there have been many accidents all over Florida, not just Miami.
A children’s hospital in Jacksonville reported a 222% increase in E-Bike and E-scooter injuries from 2023 to 2024. In central Florida, trauma doctors have reported seeing E-Bike crash victims almost daily if not weekly. In Brevard county, about 36 people over the age of 16 were treated for E-Bike crashes in only one year. These crashes have slowly increased over the past 2 years. Since there are no regulations to own and use an E-Bike many teenagers use them carelessly without thinking about the risks they bring.
There are many ways to stop the increase of accidents from E-Bikes by enforcing laws and licenses to own and use the bike to create a safer community for all people on the streets, sidewalks and bike lanes. We believe that these E-bikes are too fast to be treated as just bicycles– they should be in the same category as motorcycles. Change is essential to prevent future accidents.
