LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Electric scooters and e-bikes are booming in popularity throughout the Vegas Valley. FOX5 has reported how they’re now popular on UNLV’s campus as more and more young people are using them as a cheaper and greener alternative to driving and a faster way to get where they are going than walking.
They are not only popular for college students, middle and high school kids also use them to get to class. However, in school zone traffic, there are many reports of students nearly being hit by vehicles, and one student was hit last week near Bob Miller Middle School.
“They go through here pretty quick… ride on the sidewalk right across, out into the street,” shared Kevin Scott, a grandparent of Bob Miller eighth grader.
As traffic jams, drivers around Bob Miller worry about kids darting in front of them.
“If they follow the rules and have some kind of guidelines, it’d probably be alright, but right now, I think they just kind of run recklessly,” Scott contended.
While FOX5 was there before school Monday morning, we saw a student crossing a crosswalk riding his e-scooter but students on traditional bikes got off and walked across. Both students we saw on bikes were wearing helmets unlike the e-scooter rider.
E-scooter riders are required to follow the same rules of the road as pedestrians but that often doesn’t happen.
“I think it is very dangerous, and we should do something,” stated Rudel Obekano who drives in the area.
“It makes me really nervous every time I drop my child off to see so many kids on bikes just speeding around, and the cars obviously, too, need to be looking out better for them,” asserted Jill Whitfield, parent of a seventh grader.
According to this letter from the school the principal,
a student was hit riding their e-scooter to school last week. This letter asked families to speak with their students about the responsible use of these devices.
CCSDPD say e-scooter safety is not just an issue around schools but throughout the community with their rise in popularity especially among young people. Some e-bikes and scooters are capable of speeds exceeding 30-40 mph and no training is required to use them.
E-scooters and e-bikes are a new frontier. There are no specific regulations right now here in Nevada. No speed laws, age laws, nor helmet laws. CCSDPD says if laws are passed in future, then they could enforce them. Here is their statement to FOX5:
CCSDPD strongly urges parents to thoroughly research the county, city, and state laws regarding e-bikes and electric scooters before purchasing them for their children. With some e-bikes and scooters capable of speeds exceeding 30-40 mph, it’s vital for students to adhere to the same rules that govern all pedestrians. Keep these important points in mind:
- Always use designated bike lanes
- Obey all traffic signs and signals
- Adhere to the speed limit
- Stay vigilant and aware of your surroundings
Riders must stay on their designated side of the road, avoid darting into traffic from between parked vehicles, and never assume that drivers will yield the right of way. Above all, wearing a helmet at all times is critical. Serious injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, can happen in a split second. Prioritizing safety is essential for a positive riding experience.
Two teen girls have been killed riding e-scooters in Henderson including a 17-year-old in June last year hit by a U-Haul truck:
Minor pedestrian on scooter killed by U-Haul truck
The other, a 15-year-old this past February in the Inspirada area, as she was riding home from school:
15-year-old killed in crash near Inspirada
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