Nine months after a Coconut Grove couple was struck from behind and severely injured near Kennedy Park by a teenager on an electric dirt bike, the City Commission will consider new restrictions on how and where e-bikes can be ridden in Miami.
The proposed legislation – introduced by Miami District 3 Commissioner Rolando Escalona – would ban e-bikes and motorized scooters from city sidewalks and impose a maximum speed limit of 20 miles per hour on all micromobility devices.
The measure, which is scheduled for a preliminary vote on Thursday, would also bar anyone under the age of 16 from operating e-bikes and motorized scooters on city streets and rights-of-way.
The rules would apply to city streets and sidewalks, not county roads.
Key Biscayne adopted similar restrictions on its streets and sidewalks after a fatal e-bike accident in February 2024. The village then negotiated with Miami-Dade County to restrict the use of e-bikes on Crandon Boulevard, a county road that bisects the island.
Read more: E-Bike Safety: Key Biscayne Moves Ahead
Grove Isle residents Lisa Sloat and her husband Hank Klein were walking along South Bayshore Drive on a Sunday morning in January when they were knocked down by a 15-year-old boy who lost control of his electric dirt bike, a more powerful vehicle that is considered a motorcycle, not an e-bike.
Read more: Safety Concerns Grow After Grove Couple Struck by Dirt Bike
The couple was hospitalized for three weeks and both have faced months of physical therapy at home following the crash.
In an email to the Spotlight, the couple questioned whether the proposed rules adequately address enforcement, education and other e-bike issues, including insurance. “Our accident resulted in a very significant amount of medical bills and other expenses that we are still paying,” they noted.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to add a comment from Lisa Sloat and Hank Klein.
