Utah road officials plead to parents to practice safe e-bike riding with children
Aug 29, 2024, 6:28 PM | Updated: 7:01 pm
MIDWAY — After three 14-year-olds were hospitalized after crashing into a car while riding a single e-bike, officials are asking parents to teach safe riding practices.
Jason Mettmann, the communications manager for the Utah Highway Safety Office, said she understands that families like to use e-bikes, which are growing in popularity, but warns they are not as simple as riding a normal bike.
“They are heavier than a bicycle. They don’t stop at the same. The stopping distance needs to be increased,” Mettmann said.
Mettmann said everyone should practice in a safe area with plenty of room, like a parking lot, before jumping on the road because of how different e-bikes operate.
“The gap distance is hard for those kids to judge, whether or not they’ve have experience driving a car; if you’re crossing the roadway, a child might not be able to tell the distance or speed,” he said.
Mettmann showing different safety equipment that e-bike riders should use on the road. (Shelby Lofton, KSL TV)
Utah Highway Patrol reported that the girls were sharing the e-bike, and when they turned on state Route 113 at 300 East, they crossed the path of a driver who couldn’t stop in time.
All three girls wore helmets but were still taken to the hospital on Monday with critical injuries. As of Thursday, two of the girls were released, but one is still in the hospital in critical condition.
While three girls were of legal age to ride the e-bike, Mettmann reminds parents of age requirements and guidelines they must follow.
“Kids eight and younger, it’s actually unlawful for them to use … an e-bike on Utah roads,” Mettmann said. “And if they’re between the ages of nine and 14, you have to ride with the supervision of an adult or a guardian.”
According to Mettmann, there were 342 bike crashes in 2024, but the state doesn’t have data on e-bikes alone.
“An alarming 46% of these crashes with cyclists are happening when the cyclist is entering or crossing the roadway,” Mettmann said. “Bikers need to be making sure that they’re watching out for vehicles on the road and vice versa.”
