WATERFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Waterford Township police are urging parents to talk to their children about e-bike safety and the rules of the road, following a series of crashes — some fatal — across metro Detroit this year.
Watch Jolie Sherman's video report:
The Waterford Township police chief said while there have been no fatal crashes in the township, officers want to make sure parents are speaking to their kids about the rules and safety.
This week, the department sent out a reminder about Michigan e-bike laws, aimed at riders and the parents who provide the bikes.
Under Michigan law, a legal e-bike must have a seat or saddle, working pedals, and a label identifying the bike's class. No e-bike can legally exceed 28 mph.
There are no age requirements for slower Class 1 or Class 2 bikes, but riders must be at least 14 years old to operate a faster Class 3 bike. Riders are also required to follow applicable bicycle and traffic rules.
The push for education comes after recent deadly crashes in the region. Last week, a 13-year-old from Huron Township was killed on an e-bike. Last month, a 33-year-old man was hit and killed on an e-bike in Ferndale.
Not all parents are comfortable with their children riding e-bikes. Joel Rahn, of Commerce, said he has drawn a firm line.
"As a parent of a 5-year-old and 8-year-old, I won't let my kids ride an e-bike," Rahn said.
The Reynolds family has taken a different approach. Their 9-year-old son rides both an e-bike and an e-scooter, but only under strict guidelines. Kaylie Reynolds said the conversation started when her son expressed interest in the devices.
"When he came to us last year and said that an e-bike was something he wanted because a couple of his friends had that same device, we said that we would be willing to do that but there would be guidelines," Kaylie Reynolds said.
Those guidelines include wearing a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and a mouth guard. The family also controls their son's speed limit through an app, and he is only allowed to ride around the block in their neighborhood — not on main roads. His e-scooter can reach up to 17 mph, while his e-bike tops out at 12 mph.
"We really continue to just encourage him being safe," Kaylie Reynolds said.
Her husband, Brent Reynolds, said he has noticed more e-bikes in the area — and more unsafe riding.
"I see people driving them around, not being safe for sure. And there's way more popping up every single day," Brent Reynolds said.
The family said they try to strike a balance between safety and letting their son enjoy being a kid.
"We do our best as parents to allow him to be a kid and also meet him in the middle," Kaylie Reynolds said.
The safety push extends beyond Waterford Township. West Bloomfield Police is also developing a plan to educate parents about e-bikes.
—————————————————————————————————
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
