A 12-year-old girl is in serious but stable condition after crashing an electric bike into the back of a car on South Bayshore Drive on Tuesday. She is being treated at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
The crash occurred at approximately 6:00 p.m. near the intersection of South Bayshore Drive and Aviation Avenue, closing down traffic in both directions during busy rush hour as emergency crews responded.
Miami Police Commander Freddie Cruz, who oversees Coconut Grove, said neither the girl nor the vehicle’s driver has been charged.
Cruz explained the incident reflects the dangers of cars, bicycles, scooters and other vehicles competing for space on high volume roadways.
“I think that anytime we share the road, whether it’s a bike, a car, walking, running, I think that’s dangerous,” Cruz said. “I just think we’ve got to be responsible. I don’t think a 12 year old should be operating those things on the street.”
Florida law previously prohibited anyone under the age of 16 from riding an electric bicycle, but a 2020 law removed the age restriction. Those under 16 are still required to wear a helmet.
Local residents have been sounding the alarm in recent years about increasing pedestrian and traffic safety concerns along the South Bayshore corridor.
“When you’re a pedestrian, it’s a video game,” said Henrietta Schwartz, a founding member of South Bayshore Condo Alliance. You need to be a periscope, looking 360 degrees and hoping that you have the drone’s eye view of what’s coming at you. It’s so dangerous.”
Schwartz, who has been advocating for a reduced speed limit along South Bayshore Drive, said the accident, sadly, does not surprise her.
“This could have been just an [unfortunate] accident,” she said. “But the bigger question is, is it safe on South Bayshore for pedestrians and scooters and bicycles? And the quick answer is, no.”
There have been several electric bike and scooter incidents in Miami over the past few years. In January 2025, two teens were hospitalized after being hit by a car while riding an e-bike near Little Havana. In February 2024, a 66-year-old bicyclist was killed after colliding with a 12-year-old on an e-bike, prompting an e-bike ban on Key Biscayne.
