Statura Intelligence
Florida e-bike safety bill: What to know about proposed rules and speed limit changes
Florida lawmakers approved a sweeping transportation bill aimed at regulating e-bikes on public sidewalks and paths after pediatric surgeons raised alarms over a spike in severe traumatic brain injuries. Lawmakers passed Senate Bill 382 back in March, and earlier this week, it was put on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk for consideration. The governor will now review the legislation to potentially sign it into law. If signed, the new regulations will take effect next month on Wednesday, July 1. Florida e-bike safety bill Did you know that e-bikes here in Florida can go up to 28 miles an hour? That might not seem pretty fast, but it is considering being on a bike. Speed limits for these devices could be coming next month to close an 18-mph difference. The first thing the bill would limit is speed. The bill limits people on e-bikes to 10 mph on sidewalks and other paths if there are any pedestrians within 50 feet. If you break this rule, you could be fined up to $30. Bikers would also have to give an audible signal before they pass while on sidewalks and other paths. Chuck Farah, managing partner and attorney at Farah & Farah, weighed in on whether these rules are necessary. "Currently the way the law is, there is no law. It's treated just like bicycles. So, just like you can ride a bicycle pretty much anywhere, there are no real regulations," Farah said. Rising pediatric e-bike emergency cases E-bike crashes are continuing to happen at an alarming rate . It is a growing issue for parents, and local officials say these crashes and injuries are no joke. "We've seen it where I've had an elderly couple been struck by e-bikes and that with broken hips, broken legs," Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said regarding a crash where a 5-year-old was hurt. Medical professionals are seeing similar trends. Tampa General Hospital’s Muma Children’s Hospital says they see injuries from e-bike cases at least once a week. According to Dr. Jade Kumar, a pediatric surgeon with TGH Muma Children's Hospital, the severity of injuries from these e-bike cases is a major concern with statistics that parents need to be aware of. "Compared to traditional bicycles, children riding e-bikes experience twice the rate of traumatic brain injuries, nearly five times the rate of bleeding around the brain, and three times the rate of facial fractures," Kumar said. Uniform state crash tracking To address public safety, Senate Bill 382 requires law enforcement to start tracking crashes that involve these bikes and other micromobility devices. This bill would require the Florida Highway Patrol, along with sheriff’s offices and police departments, to keep uniform data. This tracking will require agencies to maintain records including: The rider's age The type of e-bike Whether the rider had a license Additionally, the legislation would create a micromobility device safety task force to recommend improvements to state law when it comes to public safety. The task force would be led by the state highway safety director.