The e-bike has become a staple in many Utah homes. You cannot go down the road or a paved path without being passed by individuals or families on e-bikes. While many people use e-bikes as if they were regular bikes, these bikes are very different tools. According to Fox13, “police say they’re also causing more crashes, property damage, and legal trouble for riders who don’t know the rules.”
Utah currently categorizes e-bikes in three classes.
Class 1: Pedal assist only, up to 20mph
Class 2: Throttle or pedal-assist, up to 20mph
Class 3: Pedal Assist only up to 28mph
The current law is that Class 1 e-bikes are the only e-bikes allowed on trails. E-bikes are also not allowed in any parks.
Class 3 e-bikes have age restrictions. Riders must be 16 years old to ride, and helmets are encouraged and sometimes mandatory depending on the class.
For children under 8 years old, they cannot operate the e-bike on public property. For riders 8-14, they need to have adult supervision on the e-bikes in Class 1 and Class 2.
This means that if your children are going to ride to the park, they cannot use an e-bike without your supervision.
Fox13 states that because of this lack of knowledge about e-bike rules, many police officers have had to chase after children on e-bikes while trying to educate them.
There is also a rise in property damage because of the lack of knowledge. If you are a parent of a child with an e-bike, make sure that you both understand the laws and are helping your child follow them. You don’t want to spend money on a bike that your child won’t be able to use every day, especially with school starting.
Flickinger • Boulton • Robson • Weeks Can Help
Bike accidents can leave cyclists with lasting injuries, medical bills, and other trauma. If you’ve been seriously injured in a bicycle accident, call the personal injury experts at Flickinger • Boulton • Robson • Weeks right away.
We are located in Northern Utah and have represented clients for over 25 years. We’re experts at what we do, so you can trust us to take care of your personal injury case. Contact us today to set up a free case evaluation to see how our services can help you.
