Naples e-bike safety under scrutiny as lawmakers propose new rules

NAPLES - A close call involving a teenager on an e-bike and a car has sparked fresh concerns about e-bike safety in a Naples neighborhood.

The incident was caught on a dash cam as the driver, David, narrowly avoided hitting the teenager who was distracted and not paying attention.

David shared the video online, and it quickly gained attention from neighbors who voiced their worries. The neighborhood is already on edge after a 14-year-old boy, Clayton Miller, died in an e-bike crash last year.

David said, "I think a lot of people thought that there would be a change, but it actually seemed like it encouraged more kids to do the exact same thing at the exact same intersection."

Local e-bike riders had mixed reactions to the video. Dustin Riley Smith said, "It's just, you know, we're just having fun. We don't mean to intentionally make people mad. We're just, we're still, we're still kids just trying to have fun."

Michelle Avola-Brown from the Naples Pathways Coalition emphasized the importance of safety discussions at home. She said, "When these kids have gone from a bike that they're just pedaling maybe 10 or 12 miles per hour, and then they're getting on an e-bike that's going 20 or more, the consequences are quicker."

Florida lawmakers are considering new safety rules for e-bikes, including speed limits near pedestrians and tracking crashes involving micromobility devices. The bill has passed the state Senate and is now headed to the House.