With temperatures in Northeast Ohio rising into the 60s and 70s more often this month, children are getting outside to ride bicycles around local neighborhoods. Wherever you live, you might see more kids riding electric bicycles, which have been growing in popularity. E-bikes are designed to go fast er, which can be fun for kids — but also can create additional dangers. That’s especially true for children who either have not been taught or choose to ignore laws and common-sense safety tips for these type of bicycles. In Perry Village, problems involving children recklessly riding e-bicycles came to light last week during a government meeting. At the March 13  Village Council meeting, resident Lee Glover said she’s noticed a lot of children riding electric bikes in the community’s neighborhoods since the weather has been getting nicer. Glover said many of these kids demonstrated a disregard for e-bike safety and laws. “I know I haven’t seen anybody wear helmets, and I’ve seen them using the electric motors on sidewalks,” she said.  “And I also researched that you’re not supposed to be on a sidewalk riding an e-bike with the electric motor running. I’m afraid we’re going to have some collisions if this keeps going.” Ohio law requires riders and passengers on Class 3 e-bikes to wear helmets. Village Police Chief Steve Williams, who regularly attends council meetings, responded to Glover’s comments. Williams said he was looking into the problem and promised to address the issue. The day after the meeting, the village Police Department issued a letter to Perry School District parents and students about how e-bike laws pertained to children. Village police, in the letter, noted that they’ve received numerous complaints “regarding e-bikes either almost being struck by or striking other vehicles, as well as pedestrians.” Police also stated that children under 16 are not permitted to ride Class 3 e-bikes on streets or sidewalks in the village. Kids who violate that law could be cited into Lake County Juvenile Court. “We take these regulations seriously and hope for your cooperation in ensuring the safety of our community, a community to which each of you is a vital part,” police stated in the letter. E-bikes are bicycles equipped with fully operational pedals, along with a battery and an electric motor that help riders to go faster and farther. There are three categories of e-bikes. Class 1 and 3 have motors that are activated when a rider is pedaling. The maximum motor-assisted speed is 20 mph for Class 1 e-bikes and 28 mph for Class 3 e-bikes. Neither Class 1 nor Class 3 e-bikes are equipped with throttles for increasing speed. Class 2 e-bikes have a maximum motor-assisted speed of 20 mph that can be achieved through either pedaling or using a throttle that requires no pedaling. Ohio law requires riders and passengers on Class 3 e-bikes to wear helmets. Another letter on e-bike usage was sent to parents of Perry Middle and High School students and parents by Jim Chisholm, the district’s director of student services. Chisholm stated the Class 3 e-bikes are not permitted on the Perry Schools campus for students under age 16. He also stated that students riding permitted e-bikes “must avoid reckless riding on campus and should wait until car and bus traffic has cleared before exiting on their e-bike.” At the March 13 Village Council meeting, Williams said that e-bike safety is a topic that parents and children need to take seriously. “I don’t think that people are really aware as to how significant these injuries could be if someone crashes on an e-bike doing 20 to 25 mph,” he said. “The kids who are riding them, they’re of such young age they think everybody is looking out for them, and that’s not necessarily the case. I don’t want to see them getting hurt by striking an object or a car, or them getting struck by something.” In conclusion, The News-Herald commends Perry Village Police Department and the Perry School District for trying to inform parents about legal requirements for e-bikes that their children might be riding. It’s quite possible that police departments and school districts in other area communities might have to collaborate in similar ways regarding children’s use of e-bikes. After all, we don’t see the popularity of e-bikes diminishing anytime soon. ...read more read less