Following an uptick in concerns about minors riding fast e-bikes on city streets and sidewalks, League City issued a public service announcement in April clarifying the rules for e-bikes and what riders and their parents should know.
The full story
To be legal on the road, an e-bike must have a motor of fewer than 750 watts and an assisted top speed of no more than 28 miles per hour, Sgt. Henry Gonzalez of the League City Police Department said. The challenge is that many retailers advertise bikes as e-bikes when state law classifies them as dirt bikes or mini motorcycles.
Digging deeper
Gonzalez said LCPD will generally issue warnings to juvenile riders if they are breaking the law, but with repeated offenders, they can issue citations for both the juvenile and their parents.
For example, if parents knowingly purchase a dirt bike for their child who is under 18 and then allow them to ride it on the highway, they can be cited, Gonzalez said.
Those riding e-bikes, legally permitted on city streets, must still follow the same traffic laws as motor vehicle drivers, including following signals, stopping and yielding, Gonzalez said.
Quote of note
"A little research in the beginning will help them save them, not only save them money, but also might potentially save their child's [life] in the future,” Gonzalez said.
