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If you currently live and drive in Las Vegas, you know and have seen groups of teenagers riding on the road or on the sidewalk on electric or dirt bikes. The majority of the time, these groups of teenagers are engaging in reckless activities such as:
- Speeding
- Illegal turns
- Performing wheelies
- Swerving among traffic lanes
These reckless acts significantly endanger themselves and other motorists, creating a more chaotic driving space for everyone.
I believe action should be taken to prevent these dangerous acts on Las Vegas roads, and parents should understand the potential risks that come with buying their teenager an electric bike without proper supervision.
What Should Be Done
When it comes to preventing the risks posed by teen e-bike riders, I have a couple of proposals that I believe will help, without completely stripping the right to e-bikes for everyone else.
Minimum Age Requirements
Nevada law imposes a minimum driver age of 16 for motor vehicles. Why don't we impose the same on electric bikes? Most of the time, these groups of teenage e-bike riders are in their early teens, ages 13 to 15.
Implementing these age requirements will take some of the most immature e-bike riders off Las Vegas roads.
Higher Fines for Reckless Behavior
Currently, Nevada only charges a $150 fine for reckless behavior on e-bikes and scooters. I believe this amount should be set at the monetary fine for reckless driving in a motor vehicle ($250 to $1,000) and treated as a misdemeanor, as in reckless motor-vehicle charges.
I see this as fair, as when you use the same roads as motor vehicles and reach similar speeds, you should be held to the same punishments for traffic violations.
Lane Control
A major issue drivers face with teen e-bike riders is that they often take up multiple lanes and may even weave in and out of them.
To prevent this, they should be given rights similar to motorcycle riders, allowing them to ride side by side in one lane. However, any weaving in and out of lanes or unnecessarily hogging multiple lanes of traffic should be strictly prohibited and enforced.
What Nevada Parents Should Understand
As a parent, you may feel that purchasing your teen an e-bike or e-scooter would be beneficial, as it allows them to travel to school, work, or other activities away from home without requiring you to drop them off and pick them up.
While all of those are true, you should treat giving your teen an e-bike as you would a car. If you wouldn't trust your teen alone with a car, you should not trust them with an e-bike. Also, if you do give your teen an e-bike, you should install the same tools you might use in a car, such as a speed limiter or GPS tracking system.
By being a thoughtful parent, you can help protect your teen and keep Las Vegas's roads safe.
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