MetroPlan Orlando is expanding its e-bike and e-scooter safety education program as transportation leaders work to reduce crashes involving young riders across Central Florida. The initiative was highlighted during Wednesday’s MetroPlan Orlando board meeting, where officials discussed plans to bring the training to more schools in Orange County, Osceola County and Seminole County ahead of the new school year. According to MetroPlan Orlando, about 30% of bicycle crashes in 2025 involved an e-bike or e-scooter. Many of those crashes involved teenagers near schools, and transportation officials say the number has continued to increase. The one-hour safety course, developed by the American Bicycle Education Association, launched earlier this year through a partnership between MetroPlan Orlando and local school districts, including Orange County Public Schools. At Luminary Middle School, the course was uploaded to the district’s Canvas learning platform and completed during a social studies class. Transportation leaders say many e-bike crashes stem from riders who have never received formal instruction on traffic laws, road safety or how to properly operate the devices. “A lot of those younger device users have no formal training when it comes to traffic laws, rules of the road, the safety capacity of their particular devices,” said Lara Bouck, MetroPlan Orlando’s Manager of Project Development. “With that lack of training and that increased usage, over time, we’ve started to see an uptick in the number of those e-bike and scooter crashes across the board.” MetroPlan Orlando hopes to partner with at least three schools in each of the three counties as students return to classrooms in August. While each school district has its own policies regarding e-bike and e-scooter use, including some that are considering minimum age requirements for riders, MetroPlan Orlando says its goal is to help students better understand how to ride safely and responsibly.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
MetroPlan Orlando is expanding its e-bike and e-scooter safety education program as transportation leaders work to reduce crashes involving young riders across Central Florida.
The initiative was highlighted during Wednesday’s MetroPlan Orlando board meeting, where officials discussed plans to bring the training to more schools in Orange County, Osceola County and Seminole County ahead of the new school year.
According to MetroPlan Orlando, about 30% of bicycle crashes in 2025 involved an e-bike or e-scooter. Many of those crashes involved teenagers near schools, and transportation officials say the number has continued to increase.
The one-hour safety course, developed by the American Bicycle Education Association, launched earlier this year through a partnership between MetroPlan Orlando and local school districts, including Orange County Public Schools.
At Luminary Middle School, the course was uploaded to the district’s Canvas learning platform and completed during a social studies class.
Transportation leaders say many e-bike crashes stem from riders who have never received formal instruction on traffic laws, road safety or how to properly operate the devices.
“A lot of those younger device users have no formal training when it comes to traffic laws, rules of the road, the safety capacity of their particular devices,” said Lara Bouck, MetroPlan Orlando’s Manager of Project Development. “With that lack of training and that increased usage, over time, we’ve started to see an uptick in the number of those e-bike and scooter crashes across the board.”
MetroPlan Orlando hopes to partner with at least three schools in each of the three counties as students return to classrooms in August.
While each school district has its own policies regarding e-bike and e-scooter use, including some that are considering minimum age requirements for riders, MetroPlan Orlando says its goal is to help students better understand how to ride safely and responsibly.