The gist
During the Sept. 17 council meeting, Police Chief David Coulon brought forward different ideas on how to regulate the use of scooters and prevent accidents from occurring. Suggestions included a helmet law for children under age 18, lowering the miles per hour that scooters are allowed to go, adding an age limit for who can ride a scooter and requiring riding on the right side of the road.
The council discussed ideas and decided to bring the item back on a later date after polling the community.
“Ideally I would like to hear from the public before we make a decision because this would impact many families and many children,” said council member Ann Martin.
The context
State law says that scooters can be allowed on streets, sidewalks and bike paths if the speed limit is less than 35 mph, Coulon said.
In the last 12 months, three scooters driven by kids have hit a car, he added.
“Although that doesn’t give a very good depiction of what’s happening in town, we as police don’t get notified every time a child injures themselves or wrecks their scooter,” Coulon said.
Martin said she wanted to elevate this discussion because of the complaints she has heard of children almost getting into accidents when riding.
What they're saying
Martin suggested not allowing children under age 8 on the streets—something she said is recommended by the Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America.
“Anything that is easily observable ... puts us in a better position to actually enforce what we’re passing,” Martin said. “I don’t want to make it so burdensome that it’s very hard to enforce.”
Council member Adam Schiestel said he has concerns about discouraging kids from using scooters, noting that some use it to get to school and spend more time outside.
“There is definitely a crisis but it’s not scooters,” Schiestel said. "It's kids indoors on screens, sitting on the couch [and] getting chauffeured to school.”
Going forward
The item will be discussed at a further meeting after polling is done with the community, said Town Manager James Childers. He added that he hopes to have a proposal ready for council in early November.
