ORLANDO, Fla. – News 6 traffic safety expert Trooper Steve Montiero answers viewer questions about the rules of the road every week, helping Central Florida residents become better drivers by being better educated.
Trooper Steve was asked, “Can e-bikes use bicycle lanes? What rules are they required to follow?”
“Great question as e-bikes are just about everywhere. For the most part, e-bikes follow the same rules as normal bicycles,” he said.
Florida defines a bicycle as generally a two-wheeled vehicle propelled solely by human power, or it can be a combination of human power and an electric assist. But it shall not exceed no more than 20 mph.
Children under the age of 16 are not permitted to operate an e-bike in Florida unless on privately owned property. An e-bike is not required to have insurance or vehicle registration as long as it does not exceed the 20 mph limit.
When traveling with a e-bike, a rider would be required to follow the exact same rules as a bicycle and all traffic laws would still apply. DUI laws apply to every vehicle in the state of Florida and that includes bicycles. An e-bike would have no exception.
If you have a traffic question for Trooper Steve, email him at asktroopersteve@wkmg.com.
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