MENASHA, Wis. — A Menasha mother has already gathered more than 800 signatures on a petition she created seeking stricter regulations from the state for e-bikes and e-scooters.
This is after two separate crashes in Wisconsin involving e-bikes over the weekend.
One killed a 14-year-old in Sheboygan and another injured a 4-year-old in Menasha.
What You Need To Know
Miranda Kluever said her 4-year-old daughter was injured in a hit-and-run by another kid riding an e-bike while playing at a park on Friday
That incident has led her to create an online petition called “Improve Public Safety Through Responsible Regulation of Electric Bikes and Scooters in Wisconsin”
The first priority is to raise the minimum operating age to 16
She also wants increased accountability for dangerous operation, encouraged safety by education and to allow police to enforce these safety regulations
Miranda Kluever said her 4-year-old daughter was injured in a hit-and-run by another kid riding an e-bike while playing at a park on Friday.
“She got knocked down by one,” said Kluever. “Her face got run over by it. I finally said enough is enough.”
That incident has led her to create an online petition called “Improve Public Safety Through Responsible Regulation of Electric Bikes and Scooters in Wisconsin.”
The first priority is to raise the minimum operating age to 16.
She also wants increased accountability for dangerous operations, encouraged safety through education, and to allow police to enforce these safety regulations.
“My daughter was hit in Menasha, Wisconsin, and I was told and informed by the officers with Menasha Police Department that there was nothing they could legally do, so as of right now, there’s no one being held responsible for my daughter’s medical bills,” said Kluever.
In another incident that same weekend, a 14-year-old was killed after running a stop sign at the intersection of South 25th and Broadway in Sheboygan on his e-bike.
Harley Leikam owns Wolf’s Cycling, a bike shop just a mile away from where the crash happened.
He said minors also shouldn’t operate e-bikes or e-scooters. Leikam said he doesn’t sell to them either.
(Spectrum News 1/Phillip Boudreaux)
“We’ve got cameras all around our building; we can see everything that is going on and see them going through stop signs all the time,” said Leikam. “No matter what they get, they want to see how fast they can go, what they can jump. I don’t need them in the hospital.”
Leikam also stressed the importance for adults interested in purchasing one.
“We instruct people out in our parking lot how to use them properly before they go on a test ride,” said Leikam. “People are not used to going that speed on a regular bike, so consequently they get themselves in trouble because the stopping distance is longer.”
Kluever said she is relieved her daughter will recover, but hopes no other family has to see their loved ones injured or killed because of reckless use.
“I’m trying to get the point across that we need to do something, come up with something to not only protect our children but our entire community,” said Kluever.
With this petition, she said she hopes lawmakers will see why it’s so important to take action on this issue.