The Rhode Island House of Representatives has approved a bill that would allow the City of Newport to regulate the use of e-bikes and scooters for safety purposes.
The use of e-bikes and scooters has exploded in Newport, and we need some guardrails for everybody’s safety,” said Representative Lauren Carson, D- Newport.
“Without any regulation, there’s nothing that ensures that anyone rides safely, or even tells people where they should or shouldn’t be riding. For the safety of riders and pedestrians, as well as drivers of vehicles who are sharing our narrow, historic roads with them, we need to set some parameters on the use of e-bikes and scooters in Newport.”
The legislation would allow the Newport City Council to enact ordinances regarding the age of e-bike riders, licensing, registration, insurance and where e-bikes and e-scooters can be operated in the city.
A Middletown woman was killed in a collision with a truck while riding an e-bike on Admiral Kalbfus Road in Newport in October 2023. The driver of the truck was cited with a traffic violation.
The legislation now goes to the Senate, where Sen. Dawn Euer (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown) has introduced companion legislation (2024-S 2272).
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.