Bicycles have long been an entrenched mode of transportation in Florida, but the latest iteration of the vehicles, electronic bicycles or e-bikes, has grown increasingly present on many of the state’s beaches, restaurant areas and tourist destinations.
St. Johns County, home to tourist-rich locales St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra Beach, is now taking measures to increase safety awareness for e-bikes after two troubling accidents involving the two-wheeled vehicles this year.
The e-bikes are electric-powered bicycles that still have pedals that can help charge the electric battery. But a push of a button or turn of a throttle can get e-bikes travelling to speeds of about 20 mph to 30 mph, depending on the brand and capacity of each e-bike battery.
The St. Johns County Commission passed a resolution this month to join forces with the Sheriff’s Office and the St. Johns County School District to promote more awareness and safety for the operators of e-bikes, as well as e-scooters and other electronic motorized devices.
The move comes after two 15-year-old boys suffered serious injuries following separate accidents on e-bikes in St. Johns County. For a town like St. Augustine, tourists often rent e-bikes, and they’re hardly limited to the streets of historic districts. They’re increasing in presence on beaches as well as beachgoers use them to traverse miles of coastline.
The county resolution addressed the issue bluntly.
“There were 79 bicycle crashes involved in reported traffic accidents in the state of Florida in 2024, according to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Statistics Report,” the county resolution states. “The Board of County Commissioners seeks to proactively support public education and enforcement policies that improve rider behavior, reduce collisions, and protect vulnerable road users.”
All three county government agencies will engage in public awareness campaigns warning e-bike riders, automobile drivers and pedestrians about the potential issues with e-bikes. The county acknowledged that they are affordable modes of transportation, walking a line not to discourage them, but to enhance safety instead.
“I am excited about this partnership to improve safety in our community on this issue,” “I was honored to be supported by my fellow County Commissioners to assemble a partnership with the Sheriff’s Office and School District,” said District 3 Commissioner Clay Murphy.
“Together, we will address this public safety issue of e-bikes in the classrooms with students, in the community with parents, and on the streets with our community. This resolution is the first step in a campaign to educate e-bike users proactively and provide enforcement when necessary.”
St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick said the resolution’s timing is right.
“Education and enforcement are critical to promote safety in our communities. We’ve experienced far too many tragedies involving e-bikes and young people; this resolution is a reminder of our unified commitment to prioritize the safety of our citizens,” Hardwick said.
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