Palm Coast is the latest Florida municipality to step up regulations on e-bikes that are increasingly being used in Flagler County and across the Sunshine State.
This month, the Palm Coast City Council approved an ordinance that defines “use and operation of electric bicycles.” City officials acknowledged there have been growing concerns about the safety of the easy-to-use bicycles that have a battery-powered engine and can scoot up to speeds in excess of 30 mph. They’re akin to a low-speed motorcycle with pedals. But a simple push of a button can propel them.
To that end, the Palm Coast council ordinance makes it illegal for e-bike owners to modify their vehicles so they can exceed state-defined speed limits on streets, sidewalks or paths. The new law also stipulates an age minimum of 11. Anyone who uses an e-bike must follow all local traffic regulations and must provide an audible signal when passing other vehicles on the road.
Anyone operating an e-bike in Palm Coast must also have a photo identification issued by some government agency, which must be presented to any law enforcement officer if requested. Those identification cards can include a driver’s license, passport, military identification or a school ID.
Fines for violations can be up to $100 for each offense and law enforcement is empowered to impound the vehicle if necessary.
Palm Coast is falling in line with other municipalities that have increased oversight of e-bikes.
St. Johns County, home to tourist-rich locales St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra Beach, passed a resolution in August to join forces with the Sheriff’s Office and the St. Johns County School District to promote more awareness and safety for the operators of e-bikes, as well as e-scooters and other electronic motorized devices.
The move came after two 15-year-old boys suffered serious injuries following separate accidents on e-bikes in St. Johns County. For a town like St. Augustine, tourists often rent e-bikes, and they’re hardly limited to the streets of historic districts. They’re increasing in presence on beaches, and beachgoers use them to traverse miles of coastline
