OCPS begins enforcing new e-bike and e-scooter restrictions
OCPS begins enforcing new e-bike and e-scooter restrictions
Orange County Public Schools will begin enforcing new micromobility rules Tuesday, banning e-bikes and e-scooters from elementary and middle school campuses and imposing new restrictions on high school students.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Orlando elementary and middle school students are no longer allowed to bring e-bikes or e-scooters to school after district leaders passed a campus ban.
No ‘micromobility’ devices on campuses
What we know:
Elementary and middle school students in the Orange County Public School District can no longer bring any micromobility devices to campus.
High school students can still ride e-bikes to school, but they must register the device with their school and display an approved decal. Registration requires a driver's license or learner's permit, and students must wear helmets and keep speeds under 15 mph on school grounds.
The backstory:
District leaders took action following a year marked by dangerous crashes and reckless riding involving young students across Orlando. School board members noted concerns over middle schoolers driving up to 40 mph, popping wheelies, and carrying multiple passengers without fully developed decision-making skills.
The Orange County School Board voted unanimously to pass the new restrictions ahead of the school year as emergency room visits and severe injuries increased.
‘Going to take this very, very seriously’
Why you should care:
"We are going to be looking for kids who are driving unsafe or recklessly or speeding or not stopping at stop signs," Sheriff John Mina said. "We are going to take this very, very seriously."
What we don't know:
The district has not clarified whether banned devices brought to campus will be impounded on the spot. Officials have also not specified if non-electric pedal bikes will face any future registration requirements.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a FOX 35 News report, in which reporter Marie Edinger interviewed Orange County School Board Member Maria Salamanca and Sheriff John Mina, as well as official district policy details.