Essex County OPP and municipal bylaw officers are stepping up enforcement and education efforts around e-bikes and e-scooters.
Police say officers will be out over the next few weeks reminding riders about the rules governing the vehicles as their popularity continues to grow across the county.
OPP Const. Stephanie Caron says officers have noticed a significant increase in e-bike and e-scooter use and want to ensure riders understand the rules before problems escalate.
“We’re really been noticing a great deal of activity with these types of vehicles, and we’re obviously having some issues with them. So we’re wanting to educate as much as we can to the public on the rules and regulations that govern those e-bikes and e-scooters,” Caron said.
To legally operate an e-bike or e-scooter, riders must meet provincial equipment and safety requirements, including age restrictions and speed limits.
Caron says they’re seeing a significant rise in children under 16 operating e-scooters in local communities, even though riders must be at least 16 years old.
“The concern is with these younger members of our population, they’re just not going to know what they should and shouldn’t be doing, where they can and can’t be,” she said.
“We really want to get out there and enforce and educate as much as we can.”
Provincial police are also reminding residents that many municipalities have their own bylaws restricting where e-bikes and e-scooters can be used, with some only allowing them on private property.
Caron says officers will focus on education first, but enforcement, including issuing tickets to individuals, remains an option when needed.
“We want to educate, in addition to the bylaws and the bylaw officers. So if it’s a matter of just educating and calling their parents as well as speaking with the under 16 individual, we’ll do that. And like I said, if a ticket needs to be issued, then that’s what we’re going to do,” she said.
Anyone who witnesses unsafe riding is asked to contact their local OPP detachment at 1-888-310-1122 or call 9-1-1 in an emergency.