BOCA RATON, Fla. — Boca Raton police say e-motos and e-bikes are at the center of growing road safety concerns as the city works to address the rise in popularity of electric rides through education.
"This is something that's popping up more and more," said Dylan Huberman, the Boca Raton Police Department's public information manager. "We're seeing them a lot more on the roads and on the sidewalks."
Boca Raton joins a growing list of cities adjusting to the surge in electric ride use.
Zachary Bihr, Boca Raton's public works and engineering director, said he’s noticed the vehicles are not just for fun.
"It's not just for recreational use, I see people in business suits, I see people in chef gear," Bihr said.
Residents have noticed the change, too.
"They kind of drive in front of me, doing wheelies. Especially at night, it's really annoying, it's hard to see them," Owen Havener, a Boca Raton resident, said.
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Police say a major misconception is that all electric rides fall under the same rules.
Under Florida law, an e-bike is pedal-powered, tops out at 28 miles per hour, and does not exceed 750 watts of power.
"They're basically bicycles, they're treated as bicycles," Huberman said. "Everyone is safer when e-motos are off the roads, e-bikes those are fine."
Anything more powerful or faster than those thresholds is classified as an e-moto — and carries different legal and registration requirements.
"An e-moto, now you're talking about a motor vehicle and the only way that those are legal is if you have a license plate on them, if you have a registration for them," Huberman said.
To address safety and education about these rides, the city is offering a free online course for Boca Raton teens.
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We sat down with city staff and learned the course is split into four sections: knowing your equipment, driving your e-bike, avoiding crashes, and riding in a group. Bihr says the course is useful for everyone, not just teenagers.
"The technology has changed so rapidly that I don't even think parents have a full understanding, so with that class, it engages both the child and the parent to just educate them and enlighten them," Bihr said.
About 100 spots remain in the online course. Participants must be Boca Raton residents.
