PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A bill that would have created stricter regulations for e-bikes statewide was close to becoming law July 1, but it ultimately failed to pass.
Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed the measure June 25, calling it government overreach. Now, some local communities are moving forward with their own enforcement efforts.
Along Palm Beach’s Lake Trail, signs clearly prohibit all electric and motorized vehicles, including e-bikes and e-scooters.
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While Florida law allows e-bikes on roads, bike lanes and many shared-use paths, they must have operable pedals, and riders must obey traffic laws.
“They don’t care. They go around you. They’re horrible,” said Marc Lefkowitz of Palm Beach.
The new statewide e-bike rules were set to take effect this summer, but the governor vetoed the bill last week.
The vetoed legislation would have imposed new statewide safety rules, including a 10 mph speed limit for e-bikes within 50 feet of pedestrians and a requirement for riders to signal before passing on shared trails. In his veto letter, DeSantis said the restrictions would be difficult for law enforcement to enforce.
“I think at any age, especially for children, it’s important to have a discussion with your parents about safety while riding on the road,” said Whitney Torres of West Palm Beach.
Some residents say they continue to see riders traveling at dangerous speeds on local trails.
“They go 30 miles an hour. It’s nuts,” Lefkowitz said.
In Jupiter Farms, the community group Jupiter Farms Residents is reminding people that electric motor bikes without pedals are not considered legal e-bikes under Florida law and are prohibited on public streets and sidewalks.
The reasoning is simple: If you have to pedal, you’re less likely to speed.
Meanwhile, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office has increased enforcement after deputies reported a rise in reckless riding, including riders ignoring traffic laws.
“If they don’t have pedals, it’s a no-go. You cannot ride them, period,” Sheriff John Budensiek said in April when the crackdown began. “If it goes over 28 mph, you cannot ride it. If the motor is over 750 watts, you cannot ride it.”
E-bike riders who violate the rules could face citations.
A Palm Beach County jury recently awarded $5.1 million to a Jupiter teenager who suffered life-changing injuries in a 2024 e-bike crash.
Jurors found the Floresta apartment community partially responsible for the crash, concluding that overgrown landscaping at the property obstructed a driver’s view as the 12-year-old collided with a vehicle exiting the complex.
According to the verdict, the crash left the teen with permanent hearing loss, facial scarring and other serious injuries. The jury awarded $5.1 million in damages.