There's currently no law in place in Nevada restricting the use of electric bikes and scooters by kids. The same goes for the city of Reno, but local officials are working together to stop their dangers in their tracks.
Even with the knowledge of the speeds e-bikes and scooters reach, many Reno neighbors report groups of kids riding without helmets, putting them at risk of brain injuries when they crash.
“If it's a very severe traumatic brain injury, that's very life threatening,” said Dr. Rima Rindler with Sierra Neurosurgery Group. “It may require an emergency lifesaving surgery, and that can lead to severe permanent damage and multiple weeks in the ICU and rehab to recover.”
Dr. Rindler says the emergency department is handling injury cases caused by e-bikes and scooters daily, and she's consulting on brain injury cases weekly, with the worst severity of injuries being in found in young children.
Several local agencies are partnering to share the risks of these bikes and scooters, as well as educate the public on how to use them safely. The group includes the Reno Police Department, Northern Nevada Public Health, Renown Health, and Washoe County School District Police.
“What we're going to ask here today is for our parents to get involved,” said Reno Police Chief Corey Solferino. “The Reno Police Department, we're focused on that education and enforcement piece. But education needs to happen before enforcement, and we want to make sure that we are addressing unsafe and illegal riding behaviors.”
The regional partners agreed that parents need to educate themselves on the dangers and safe practices, then pass that knowledge on to their children if they're going to purchase these products.
Many of the agencies also put on presentations in middle and high schools to try and reach kids directly.
The school district has put together multiple guides on how to stay safe, adhere to the rules of the road, and talk to kids about these topics. Those can be found here or here.
Officials in the Reno area say the main group at risk of injury while using electric bikes and scooters, is children.
