Following the holidays, many kids are taking to the streets on their new electric bikes and motorized scooters. As these vehicles become more popular, city leaders, parents and Unified Police Department officers face a growing concern when it comes to local laws and road safety. 

Holladay resident Dr. Rich Greenberg specializes in pediatric emergency medicine. He came before the Holladay City Council in November to address the prevalence of electric vehicles and what he considers to be an extremely dangerous situation. 

As a doctor, he has seen an increased level of injuries tied to high speeds, traffic interactions and inconsistent helmet use with children on electric vehicles.

“I had one of my personal patients and friends, whose kid is 11, being driven by a group of kids on a golf cart, all of her same age,” he said. “She fell off and had a significant skull fracture, intracranial bleeding and is lucky to be alive.”

UPD Holladay Precinct Chief Justin Hoyal said he and his officers spent the better part of the summer educating parents and students about e-bike safety and the laws surrounding those types of vehicles, hoping to avoid that exact situation. 

He said there are three different classes of electric-assisted bicycles. Class 1 assists when the rider is pedaling and stops when the bike reaches speeds of 20 miles per hour. Class 2 has a throttle that boosts without pedaling and Class 3 will assist the rider up to 28 mph. 

Anyone riding an e-bike must stay on designated paths or trails and no one under 16 can operate a Class 3 e-bike. Youth under 14 cannot operate an e-bike (with the motor engaged) on any highway, path, public property or sidewalk, unless they are supervised by a parent or guardian. Children under 8 are not permitted to ride an e-bike with the motor engaged.

There are similar rules for motorized scooters, electric motorcycles and low-profile motorized vehicles. In Holladay, it is against the law to drive golf carts on public streets.

After encouraging parents and riders to understand the laws, rules of the road and appropriate safety gear, Hoyal said his officers moved from an educational to an enforcement approach in September.

“We’re writing citations, and in some cases, we’re having to impound the device,” he said. “We’re taking more of an aggressive enforcement stance because of safety. The last thing we want to see is one of the young members of our community get hurt or, heaven forbid, killed. So we want people to be safe and adhere to the law.”

To help keep riders, drivers and residents safe from motor-assisted vehicle accidents, Hoyal posted a complete list of laws and affected vehicles at holladayut.gov/newslist.php. For questions regarding motorized vehicle laws, contact the UPD Holladay Precinct at 385-468-9920 or call the 24/7 dispatch line at 801-840-4000.

Following several fatalities and accidents across Utah involving e-bikes, Greenberg hopes city leaders and police officers take the situation seriously to avoid a fatal tragedy in Holladay.

“I don’t want any more kids to get injured, any more kids to die. I don’t want to keep them where they can’t go out and have fun, but the law should be to protect our children,” Greenberg said. “I really hope [the council] will do something about it. Ask our police to enforce these fines, to actually get parents to listen, because it’s not fair to our children.”