LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The conversation about traffic safety in and around schools in the Las Vegas valley has reached new heights in recent months, and right now, there's a lot of focus from parents and lawmakers on electric bikes and scooters.
WATCH | The e-bike and e-scooter safety breakdown
E-bikes and e-scooters are becoming a more and more popular way for students to get to and from school, and if you're considering getting one for your kid this school year, it's important to know the new laws surrounding them, and the dangers e-bikes can pose.
Earlier this week, Las Vegas Metro Police (LVMPD) posted a video detailing a crash at the intersection of Baltimore Avenue and Frank Street — in a neighborhood near Sahara and Nellis — which was the 100th traffic fatality they've responded to in their jurisdiction this year.
Investigators say a middle-aged man riding an e-bike was killed after failing to stop at a stop sign and colliding with a work truck.
"This was all preventable," Metro Sgt. S. Richmond said in the video. "All we have to do on e-bikes and scooters, and any pedal bikes, is stop and obey the traffic rules. If you're on the road, obey the traffic rules of the road."
While state data from the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety shows Clark County has seen a 10% decrease in the number of people killed on our roads through the end of July — 154 this year compared to 171 in 2024 — the number of both bicyclists and motorcyclists killed has jumped year to date: from five bicyclists last year to eight this year, and 39 motorcyclists compared to 33 last year.
As kids head back to the classroom on Monday, local jurisdictions are putting tighter rules in place around e-bikes and e-scooters.
On Wednesday, the Las Vegas City Council joined Clark County and the City of Henderson, passing an ordinance regulating where and how e-bikes can be ridden: prohibiting reckless riding, requiring minors to wear a helmet, and implementing a speed limit of 15 miles per hour in city parks and trails.
"The e-bike ordinance is a great step in the right direction for us to help keep the community safer," Metro Summerlin Area Command Capt. Greg Phenis.
Local law enforcement agencies say one of the biggest challenges they're facing is that parents are confused about the difference between an e-bike and an electric motorcycle or dirt bike.
Clark County School District Police and Henderson Police detailed the difference in a back to school video posted to social media.
"If the bike doesn't have pedals and only has foot pegs, it's not a legal e-bike — that is an electric motorcycle," officers said. "An e-bike must have traditional pedals like a normal bicycle."
If you're caught riding illegally, officers can cite you and your bike could be towed or confiscated, plus they say parents can be held responsible, making messages like these all the more important.
"Parents, help us keep your kids safe," CCSD and Henderson officers said. "Make sure their e-bike or scooter fits them, teach the rules of the road and always require a helmet. Remember, in school zones, the speed limit applies to bikes and scooters too."
As we kick off the new school year, remember that posted stop and school zone signs are not reminders, they're the law.
Pay extra attention when you're driving around schools, and have a conversation with your kids about keeping their eyes peeled when they're walking to and from school, to help them understand the rules of the road apply to them too.
