(WXYZ) — Two 13-year-old boys are fighting for their lives after an e-moto crash at Telegraph and Hickory Grove in Bloomfield Township.
Police said the boys were both riding on one e-moto device and attempting to cross the street around noon Monday when they collided with a Ford F-250. Witnesses said the truck driver proceeded forward as the light turned green and did not see the teens.
The boys were taken to the hospital and remained in critical condition as of Tuesday afternoon, according to investigators. They were set to start 8th grade at North Hills Middle School Tuesday.
Sultan Safi, a father of eight who lives near the intersection, said what happened should be a wake-up call for parents.
"There was a big crash, and it was a terrible situation in this intersection," Safi said.
Safi said his children witnessed the aftermath of the crash.
"This is the first house from the intersection. After the crash, when they heard the sound and the shouting of the people, they went outside and saw the whole situation," Safi said. "That was actually like trauma for the kids and their mom. That was a very scary situation."
Safi said the speed of e-motos makes them dangerous for young riders.
"Honestly, these e-bikes are over the limit. Some are going like 40 mph or 30/35, so this is not good for kids, especially underage kids like 13-14 years old," Safi said.
Township Supervisor Mike McCready said the crash is a devastating reminder of concerns the township was already working to address.
"This is just a horrible tragedy. My words can't even express the pain and agony I think that we're all feeling, much less these families that are directly affected," McCready said.
McCready said the Board of Trustees was already working to learn more about e-motos, scooters and bikes before the crash. Now, he said he is considering more aggressive measures, including a moratorium.
"(State legislators) need to move swiftly on creating some state laws," McCready said. "And in the meantime, I'm going to push for a moratorium in the township, and I know we'll get legal challenges, but I'm willing to take on those legal challenges to protect our residents."
Under current Michigan law, e-motos — the type of device the boys were riding at the time of the crash — are not considered legal e-bikes. The law treats them more like mopeds. The devices, which do not have pedals and exceed speeds of 20 mph, require the rider to have a driver's license with a cycle endorsement.
McCready said that he anticipates discussing the issue further at the next Board of Trustees meeting on Sept. 14.
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