LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Concerns about e-bike safety that Henderson residents have repeatedly raised are now being written into the city code, bringing new restrictions on who can ride, what riders must wear, and what kind of behavior is allowed on e-bikes.
“This topic was brought up over and over. It is on the minds of most of the residents in our community,” Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero said at a council meeting earlier this week.
Romero said the changes are aimed at addressing ongoing problems. “It is something that is incredibly needed in our community, and it will hopefully prevent future problems,” she said.
It is now illegal for anyone under 18 to ride an e-bike without a helmet. The city is also cracking down on dangerous tricks or stunts, allowing law enforcement to impound e-bikes and requiring parents and guardians to pay for violations.
Romero said parents pushed for more accountability. “Surprisingly enough, it was the parents themselves who wanted more liability for the parents,” she said.
One parent who supported the changes said he recently moved to Henderson with his son from out of state and was surprised by how many e-bikes he sees, particularly outside Del Webb Middle School and near where he lives in Inspirada.
“They were all over the parks. Along the bike paths and everything. And then they were doing wheelies, and they were going really fast,” the parent said.
Some parents interviewed off-camera at Del Webb expressed mixed feelings, including concerns about overregulating what kids do, especially for students who use e-bikes to get to and from school.
But the parent who spoke with us voiced support for the new rules, including the helmet requirement, impoundment and the crackdown on tricks.
“I agree with it because these bikes are not a means of transportation to go to and from work. It is just a kind of way to horse around, and I totally agree with the bike helmets because who pays for the hospital bills if they do not have the insurance?” the parent said.
Responding to concerns about kids’ freedom, the same parent added: “That is like saying, ‘Why don’t you give them freedom to walk around with an AK-47?’ You know, there needs to be some common sense here.”
For our previous e-bike coverage, click here.
