Douglas County officials are proposing new restrictions on low-powered scooters and off-highway vehicles after reporting a surge in dangerous incidents involving children riding the vehicles on roads, sidewalks and trails, saying that regulations have failed to keep pace with the fast-growing technology.
If adopted, the ordinance would require operators of low-powered scooters to have a driver’s license and clarify where off-highway vehicles can legally be ridden. It would also establish penalties for breaking the ordinance, including fines up to $1,000.
Sheriff’s officials focused Wednesday on electric dirt bikes and electric motorcycles, which they say are at the center of a growing number of safety concerns and sometimes marketed as “e-bikes.” But the proposed ordinance would cover a broader range of motorized vehicles, from golf carts to snowmobiles.
County leaders, law enforcement officials and emergency room doctors say the measure is intended to curb injuries and clarify the distinction between traditional electric bikes and powerful electric dirt bikes capable of reaching highway speeds.
“We fear that it is only a matter of time before these incidents end in a tragedy,” Douglas County Undersheriff Jason Kennedy said Wednesday to a group of reporters. “That’s exactly what we are trying to prevent.”
Douglas County is the latest community to consider local regulations for off-highway vehicles, after seeing a rapid rise over the last year in the number of calls for service for these electric vehicles, some of which can accelerate from 0 to 50 mph in 3.6 seconds and reach up to 75 mph.
“What they’re riding are not e-bikes,” Kennedy said. “Simply put … they are high-powered electric dirt bikes, much like their gas counterparts, off-highway vehicles.”
Unlike traditional e-bikes, which are permitted on certain bike paths and trails, the vehicles at the center of the ordinance operate primarily by throttle and lack functional pedals. While some e-bikes also use throttles, Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes stop providing assistance at 20 mph, while Class 3 e-bikes stop at 28 mph.
Kennedy said injuries are increasing among young riders, particularly ages 6 to 13, who lack the training, experience and legal requirements needed to safely operate the vehicles.
“These are powerful, heavy machines. When they’re operated by young, inexperienced riders the risk of serious injury or death increases significantly,” he said.
The sheriff’s office has investigated at least two fatal crashes involving e-bike riders, Kennedy said. Both victims were adults.
Officials say the ordinance would help increase safety and address confusion among parents, many of whom may not realize the vehicles are not legal on public streets.
A sheriff’s office Facebook post this week explaining the difference between electric motorcycles and electric bicycles generated more than 250 comments, many from residents seeking clarification.
“There are designated recreational areas for off-highway vehicles and that’s where they belong,” Kennedy said. “We will continue our educational campaign, but we also need meaningful consequences to help change behaviors.”
OHV riders risk fractures and brain injuries
Nationwide, injuries from electric bikes have been steadily rising as the vehicles become an increasingly popular mode of transportation and recreation. More than 20,000 people are injured while riding e-bikes annually with about 3,000 people requiring hospitalization, according to the American College of Surgeons. Head injuries are the most common and only about one-third of injured riders wear helmets, the organization said.
Off-highway vehicles that move at higher speeds require different helmets than traditional bikes or lower speed e-bikes, said Dr. Garret Prince, an emergency doctor from HCA HealthONE Sky Ridge Emergency Department in Lone Tree.
“These bikes are heavier, they’re bulkier, they go faster and with that higher velocity, you’re going to see a higher energy impact,” Prince said. “We’re seeing fractures and traumatic brain injuries that we don’t typically see with routine bicycle use.”
Although the vehicles are prohibited from Highlands Ranch parks and open space, riders continue to damage property by driving off trails through sports fields and natural areas, said Renee Anderson, chair of the Highlands Ranch Metro District Board. She said the riders also create safety concerns for other trail users.
Currently, state laws impose a $50 fine for operating an off-highway vehicle on a public street. Douglas County officials argue that penalty is not enough to deter violations and existing careless driving statutes don’t apply to off-highway vehicles, like dirt bikes.
Commissioner Abe Laydon described the proposed ordinance as an effort to balance emerging transportation technology with public safety.
The measure, which passed on first reading Tuesday, would prohibit the operation of off-highway vehicles on public streets, roads, alleys, trails and other public property in Douglas County, with limited exceptions. Violations would carry a mandatory minimum fine of $250 and a maximum penalty of $1,000.
To go into effect, the ordinance must pass on second reading, which is tentatively scheduled for June 23. The public can submit feedback online.
The ordinance, if passed, would also make parents responsible if they knowingly allow someone younger than 18 to operate an off-highway vehicle illegally on public property. Riders could face additional citations for reckless or careless driving and sheriff’s deputies would be authorized to impound vehicles suspected of violating the ordinance.
For low-powered scooters, the proposal would require operators to have a valid driver’s license, vehicle registration and insurance. Riders younger than 18 would be required to wear a helmet.
The ordinance does not apply to electric bicycles, which Colorado law classifies separately from off-highway vehicles and low-powered scooters. E-bikes would continue to be governed by existing state and local regulations.