The Murray City School District released a notice regarding safety for electric bicycles and motorized scooters used by students. While the district stated it is unaware of any serious e-bike or scooter incidents on or near its campuses, such incidents are occurring in other communities.
In a notice posted to the district's website, officials noted that the mix of vehicle, bike, and foot traffic during school drop-off and pickup times requires extra caution. Unlike traditional bicycles, motorized devices can reach speeds of 20 miles per hour or more, presenting safety challenges in busy school zones.
According to national injury data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, emergency room visits involving electric micromobility devices have increased significantly. Data shows that youth under age 15 account for over a third of all scooter and e-bike injuries. Studies indicate that younger riders may lack the traffic awareness and physical motor control required to navigate high speeds during high-density drop-off hours.
The district highlighted state guidelines established under Utah’s House Bill 381 to help keep students safe:
All riders under age 21 must wear a properly fitted helmet while operating an e-bike, electric scooter, or similar device on public roads.
Children under age 8 are prohibited from operating motorized e-bikes or scooters on public roadways.
Youth under age 16 are legally prohibited from operating Class 3 e-bikes or high-powered electric motorcycles.
Children between the ages of 8 and 14 must be accompanied by a parent or adult when riding an e-bike on public roads.
To ensure safety, the district suggested setting family rules such as requiring helmets, prohibiting multiple riders on a single device, and reminding students to slow down and dismount near crosswalks. Students should also be reminded to remove earbuds near busy school crosswalks.
