Cranked Bike Studio in Neenah sells dozens of different types of e-bikes. PC: Fox 11 Online
NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — As the school year approaches, Neenah Police and ThedaCare are sharing reminders on how to stay safe with technology and the rise in e-bikes.
“Around the community we see elementary age kids, kids just old enough to ride a traditional bike, and they’re zooming around at 15, 20 plus miles per hour on these electronic devices and it’s very concerning,” said Officer Joe Benoit with the Neenah Police Department.
Officer Benoit said there’s been a substantial uptick in the use of e-bikes and e-scooters around the area. There are bound to be risks for the children as well as drivers on the road.
“Depending on the age of the kids, they don’t know the rules of the road,” he explained. “They don’t have the comprehension levels to follow the traffic laws, and they don’t have the gravity of concern that a more mature person would have with the consequences with what could result from getting hit by a vehicle.”
Benoit added new ordinances are in place to keep e-bikes and e-scooters off sidewalks and protect those walking.
ThedaCare representative Dr. William Kumprey said the concerns are more than just legal problems.
“You got to go through that plan beforehand. They’ve got to know their path to school, they got to follow the local safety laws, they got to wear bright clothing,” Kumprey said. “And really, it’s fast so you want to have a really good, secure, tight-fitted helmet.”
E-bikes and scooters aren’t the only concern. Making sure your children are using technology appropriately and you’re asking the right questions about their day could help keep them safe.
“That’s saying, ‘hey, who did you sit next to? How was school? What’s going on online? Anything that’s bothering you? Anything that’s making you uncomfortable?’ You really got to get into the nitty gritty so you make it easy for them to volunteer when they’re having problems,” he said.
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