Batavia aldermen and members of the public discussed e-bike and e-scooter safety July 1 and directed staff and local partners to pursue education and voluntary safety measures rather than immediate restrictive local legislation.

Council members, police and business owners described instances of high-speed electric bicycles and scooters on streets and paths at night without lights or helmets and expressed concern for pedestrians and motorists. Staff noted state law already addresses some vehicle classes (for example, lower-speed scooters and certain higher-speed devices qualify as motor-driven cycles under Illinois law and can be age-restricted), and that distinguishing classes at a glance can make enforcement difficult.

Attendees proposed a multi-pronged approach emphasizing education and incentives: school-based safety programs, a community safety fair, voluntary registration or a visible sticker or accessory indicating completion of safety training (LED lights, handlebar wraps), partnerships with the Active Transportation Advisory Commission and local bike shops, and targeted enforcement and bicycle-patrol visibility. Several speakers suggested offering free or low-cost safety gear (lights, reflective vests) at community events and using existing city outreach at farmers markets and festivals.

Stakeholders in the meeting — including Batavia Active Transportation Advisory Commission members and local shop owners — supported education and infrastructure improvements (wider paths where feasible, engineering controls on dangerous intersections), while acknowledging enforcement and device-class enforcement would remain difficult.

Why this matters: electric personal mobility devices are growing in popularity across municipalities; Batavia leaders said they want to reduce collisions and risky behavior while encouraging active transportation and accessibility for older residents.

The committee did not vote on new local restrictions. Council members asked staff to coordinate with the Active Transportation Advisory Commission, schools and local businesses to draft an education and incentive plan for future council consideration.