LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – There’s a regional effort among Las Vegas Valley leaders to crack down on dangerous behavior by electric bicycles and electric scooters on roads and parks.
Commissioner Justin Jones tells FOX5, he’s backing the creation of an ordinance in Clark County to spell out restrictions and citations for dangerous behavior on e-bikes and e-scooters. That ordinance, in turn, can be mirrored and passed by other local cities for similar enforcement.
Such discussions are already underway with leaders in Henderson and Boulder City, Jones said.
“[Officers] don’t really know what to charge the teenagers with. These are kids who don’t have licenses. Most of them don’t have, aren’t even of age to have a license in the first place,“ Jones said.
Jones said e-bikes fall into a “gray” area: they are not quite motorcycles, nor are they bicycles.
“There’s nothing in in statute currently that says that if you’re popping wheelies and driving down the road that that is prohibited, although I think everyone would agree that is pretty reckless driving,” he said.
The ordinance will restrict devices’ speed or usage in parks and roadways.
Since many teenagers own these devices, Jones said it’s critical to educate parents on the dangers: many parents unwittingly buy these devices for their teens, not knowing they can surge up to speeds of 50 miles an hour.
“That’s why I wanted to make sure that we do the education on the front end, make sure that parents are are involved process of really counselling their own children on what the proper conduct is,” Jones said.
Clark County could introduce an ordinance in the next 30 days, Jones said.
Local cities and the county may need assistance from the Legislature, all to enact state statutes for local cities and counties to enforce. Jones said that local leaders will be in contact with lawmakers on the issue, during the session.
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