ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. – With increasing injuries and deaths being reported, e-bike safety has been a major topic of discussion for people across the News4JAX viewing area for more than a year.
Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville said it treated 19 people for e-bike-related injuries in January 2026. The hospital had 115 injuries in 2025 and only three for all of 2022.
Residents and city leaders met at a town hall to talk about growing concerns over e-bike safety in the beach community. City officials said they will use feedback from the meeting to guide next steps and to align policies where possible with neighboring St. Johns County and the city of St. Augustine.
City officials and residents described frightening near-misses and traffic conflicts involving e-bikes on sidewalks, beach roads and crosswalks. Many people at the meeting urged clearer rules and stronger enforcement.
“We were surprised from behind by two young girls on one bike with no helmets and no shoes on. And I was hit from behind without a warning,” said Christine Danner, who said she was struck by an e-bike last year.
Danner told the meeting she sees e-bikes daily, often operating on sidewalks and not obeying traffic rules.
“I see them every day. Just like all the people in the meeting have stated up and down the sidewalks, the beach roads, not obeying rules of the road. I just feel like yes I understand that they want to be in agreement with all of the municipalities but I also feel like as a beach community we can also take charge of our own community and say this is what we’re going to allow.”
Police Chief Daniel Carswell said e-bikes can be a positive transportation option when operated properly but create hazards when riders do not follow basic traffic rules.
“I think they’re great if they’re used properly and someone knows how to operate it,” Carswell said. “When they’re not operating in the right manner, it can cause a problem.”
According to a city ordinance and amended laws, operators of e-bikes, e-scooters or any electric motorized device cannot be careless while riding on the beach.
Weaving around pedestrians recklessly and speeding are prohibited. They must yield to pedestrians, and no one can ride on the handlebars.
On the roadways, riders younger than 16 years old must wear a helmet.
E-bikes must have a fixed white light in the front and a red light on the back.
They also have to yield to pedestrians on sidewalks.
Violations include the possibility of a $53 citation.
Because of the number of serious e-bike crashes in St. Johns County last year, the sheriff’s office partnered with the school district to launch mandatory e-bike safety classes for all middle school students.
State Rep. Dr. Anna Eskamani, who is one of the sponsors of House Bill 243, or the “E-bike Safety Bill,” spoke with News4JAX about the importance of improving e-bike safety.
“The discussion is around a learning pyramid for e-bikes because right now, for children, there is just no real restrictions and oversight on it,” Eskamani said. “I mean, even if there are rules, it’s very difficult to implement and enforce them. So we really want to make sure that parents are more engaged in this process and that there are just opportunities to learn how to use these, these e-bikes before a child hops on one.”
Under the proposed bill, e-bike riders would have to obey a 10 mph speed limit on sidewalks and walkways when within 50 feet of someone walking.
Class 3 e-bikes, which are capable of going faster than 28 mph, would require riders to go through new licensing and permit requirements.
An electric motorcycle would be redefined as a bike capable of going faster than 28 mph.
The bill would also direct the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to create an Electric Bicycle Safety Task Force that would collect data on crashes and recommend changes to state law.
“Because of all these safety concerns, especially among children, our hope with this bill is that there can be a clear guidance provided when it comes to those under the age of 18 who don’t have any formal training and are using these e-bikes sometimes in dangerous ways,” Eskamani said.
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