Northbrook police: surge in high-speed e-bikes prompts recommendations, public meetings

The Northbrook Police Department reported an increase in calls about electric bikes and motorized scooters and said it will recommend local rules and schedule public meetings to gather input.

Chief Ustich told the Village Board the department is getting “at least 5 to 10 a day” complaints about e-vehicles and is enforcing current state rules where appropriate. He said class 1 and class 2 e-bikes (up to 20 mph) are treated like bicycles under state law; class 3 vehicles — described as those that can reach 28 mph and above — are more problematic and, under state rules, require registration, a valid driver’s license and insurance. “Class 3 vehicles are more problematic,” he said. “Those are the ones that can go 28 and over. Those need to be registered with the state. You have to have a valid driver's license, and it has to be … insurance for it.”

Chief Ustich said police are taking an educational approach and are reviewing what neighboring jurisdictions have done. He said officials are considering a range of tools, including impounding illegal mini-motorcycles, issuing citations to parents in jurisdictions that do so, and prohibiting riding on sidewalks where appropriate. The chief and village manager said they will return with specific regulatory recommendations and will hold two open houses for public input; staff indicated the meetings were targeted for the week of July 7.

Public commenters described recent dangerous incidents involving high-speed electric vehicles and urged action. One resident recounted a recent crash that left a teenager seriously injured and urged the village to act; the village manager and police chief said they intended to address those safety concerns in the forthcoming recommendations. The police chief also said the department is developing a program to reward helmet use that “should be rolled out in the next couple weeks.”