The town of Riverhead on Long Island has enacted a new law regulating electric bikes and scooters, moving to rein in devices that officials say have surged in popularity while creating a significant safety concern. The measure covers e-bikes, electric dirt bikes and e-scooters, which town officials say have become a growing hazard on local roads and sidewalks.
Under the new law, only class 1 and class 2 e-bikes are permitted in Riverhead, and they are limited to a maximum speed of 20 miles an hour. Faster class 3 e-bikes, which can reach higher top speeds, are no longer allowed in the town, a distinction meant to keep the most powerful models off local streets.
The ordinance also bars all e-bikes and e-scooters from sidewalks, addressing a common complaint as the devices weave among pedestrians. News 12 cameras captured an electric dirt bike riding on a sidewalk in downtown Riverhead on the same afternoon, underscoring the kind of behavior the town says it is trying to stop with the new rules.
Riverhead has also set an age requirement, mandating that operators be at least 16 years old to ride one of the electric devices. In addition, everyone must wear a helmet while operating an e-bike or e-scooter, regardless of their age, a provision aimed at reducing serious injuries in the event of a crash.
The law carries a significant penalty for riding while impaired. Anyone who operates an e-bike or e-scooter while under the influence of drugs or alcohol can be charged with driving while intoxicated, putting the electric devices on similar footing to motor vehicles when it comes to impaired operation on the town's roads.
Town officials framed the crackdown as a response to a string of crashes across Long Island involving e-bikes, and the Riverhead town supervisor said police are actively enforcing the new law. Officials said the goal is to provide a safer quality of life not just for those operating the scooters and e-bikes, but also for drivers, pedestrians and other cyclists sharing the roads.