NAPLES – A close call caught on dash camera is raising concerns about e-bike safety in a Naples neighborhood where a teen died in an e-bike crash last year.
David was driving home from work when he says a teenager on an e-bike suddenly crossed in front of his vehicle.
“I looked over, and next thing I knew, there was a kid in front of me on an e-bike,” David said.
David was able to stop just in time, avoiding a crash. He says the rider didn’t appear to realize how close the situation was.
“He wasn’t even looking at me when I was about to hit him,” David said. “He was too busy cussing out the guy who honked and essentially saved him.”
David posted the dash camera video on social media, where it quickly gained attention and sparked conversation among neighbors about e-bike safety in the area.
The incident happened in the same neighborhood where 14-year-old Clayton Miller died in an e-bike crash nearly a year ago. David says many residents hoped that tragedy would lead to safer riding habits.
“I think a lot of people thought that there would be a change,” David said. “But it actually seemed like it encouraged more kids to do the exact same thing at the exact same intersection.”
WINK News also spoke with local e-bike riders Dustin Riley Smith and Patrick Koselaka, who watched the video and shared their reactions.
“They’re just kind of dumb,” one rider said after watching the close call.
But the teens say most kids riding e-bikes aren’t trying to be reckless.
“It’s not like we’re trying to be reckless or anything,” Dustin Riley Smith said. “We’re still kids just trying to have fun.”
Koselaka says Clayton Miller’s death made him more aware of the risks.
“I don’t really blow stop signs,” Koselaka said. “After Clayton — I learned. I always stop.”
Safety advocates say conversations about responsible riding should start with parents.
Michelle Avola-Brown with the Naples Pathways Coalition says parents should understand the risks before allowing their children to ride e-bikes.
“These parents really should be more responsible before they would even consider getting an e-bike for a child,” Avola-Brown said.
She says the higher speeds of e-bikes can be difficult for younger riders to manage.
“When kids go from pedaling a bike at 10 or 12 miles per hour to riding an e-bike that can go 20 or more, the consequences are quicker,” Avola-Brown said.
Advocates say talking with kids about safety and the rules of the road can make a difference.
“It’s better to have that conversation than to have a funeral,” Avola-Brown said.
