On Aug. 5, the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution promoting safety for operators of e-bikes, e-scooters and other electronic motorized devices; encouraging safe usage practices, education and enforcement efforts.
The county, St. Johns Sheriff's Office and St. Johns County School District have formed an alliance to partner on public education and enforcement efforts with the community.
“I am excited about this partnership to improve safety in our community on this issue,” said District 3 Commissioner Clay Murphy. “I was honored to be supported by my fellow county commissioners to assemble a partnership with the Sheriff’s Office and school district. Together, we will address this public safety issue of e-bikes in the classrooms with students, in the community with parents, and on the streets with our community. This resolution is the first step in a campaign to educate e-bike users proactively and provide enforcement when necessary.”
“Education and enforcement are critical to promote safety in our communities,” said Sheriff Rob Hardwick. “We’ve experienced far too many tragedies involving e-bikes and young people; this resolution is a reminder of our unified commitment to prioritize the safety of our citizens.”
“I am honored that we were invited to collaborate on this very important initiative within our community,” said School Superintendent Brennan Asplen. “This partnership works to ensure the wellbeing of our students and provide education on e-bike safety. These assemblies will be presented to sixth- through eighth-grade students within our 17 middle schools and K-8 academies.”
According to the resolution, the use of e-bikes, electric scooters and other electric motorized devices has significantly increased across St. Johns County. These vehicles present safety challenges due to increased traffic interactions, varied rider experience levels and the mixed-use nature of sidewalks and roadway.
The resolution states that, if operating on a pedestrian path, operators should limit their speed to 10 miles per hour or less. Operators should also wear a helmet.
