Back-to-back e-bike crashes involving children prompt safety crackdown in St. Johns County
Two young riders were injured in separate electric bike crashes just days apart in the same St. Johns County neighborhood — and now, county leaders are preparing to act.
Both crashes happened in the Julington Creek area. One child was airlifted to the hospital last Monday night after losing control and veering off a sidewalk. Another student was hurt on Thursday afternoon while riding home from school.
The incidents are fueling a new proposal aimed at regulating how and where e-bikes can be used in St. Johns County.
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Action News Jax obtained the draft ordinance, set to be discussed Tuesday morning.
It would:
• Cap e-bike speeds at 10 miles per hour on the beach
• Ban careless riding, including weaving through crowds or carrying more than one person
• Require rental businesses to provide written safety instructions and undergo yearly bike inspections
Brian Collie, owner of Open Road Bicycles in St. Johns County, says he's not surprised.
'There's an age group. It's 11 to 15. They're constantly crashing these things and they are on overpowered E-bikes,' Collie said.
'Somebody needs to kind of control and rein this in. Because it's starting to get really dangerous. Every week, we see a crashed E-bike from somebody who has destroyed their bike and gotten hurt. It's a shame,' said Collie.
Read: Traffic Alert: Congestion expected as construction on King Street in St. Augustine begins
The ordinance is still in its discussion phase, so it won't be up for a vote this week.
If approved, the new rules could take effect immediately and apply to beaches, sidewalks, and other areas under county control.
Action News Jax will be at Tuesday morning's County Commission meeting and will bring you updates as the ordinance develops.
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