DELTONA, Fla. – With the first day of school just two weeks away, some Deltona students may need to find a new way to get around. The city has banned anyone under 18 from riding e-bikes, motorized scooters and mopeds.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, which provides law enforcement in Deltona, says it is reviewing the new rules and working on an enforcement plan.
Residents have mixed feelings about the ban.
“I think that by putting this ban on — it’s saving their child’s life. Honestly. This children are not mature enough,” said resident Rhonda.
“They don’t have a driver’s license. They shouldn’t be on the roads,” said resident Brenda.
The new rules also raised questions about teenagers who do have driver’s licenses. Mayor Santiago Avila Jr. addressed why they are included in the ban.
“You’re talking about pedestrians. We have to make sure we have sidewalks with ADA compliance. While the 16-year-olds can drive on the roads, you don’t see cars driving on sidewalks where people are actually walking,” Avila said.
The age restriction is just one part of the ordinance. Under the new rules, riders must use a bike lane when one is available and may only ride on a sidewalk when no bike lane exists. The one exception is adults riding alongside children, who are permitted on sidewalks. Riders on sidewalks must stay under 15 mph and are required to yield to pedestrians on shared paths, giving an audible warning before passing.
Avila cited safety incidents as a driving force behind the ordinance.
“We’ve had multiple accidents with kids on e-bikes — we had one that almost lost his life. Thank God he was saved by the helmet he was wearing,” Avila said.
The ordinance is in effect now, though it will go before an ordinance review committee. If that committee recommends any changes, the commission can update it at a later date.