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Council discusses electric-scooter and e-bike safety, asks staff to research possible local rules
Summary
After multiple council members and deputies reported children riding electric scooters and e-bikes unsafely, council asked staff to research Ohio Revised Code sections and possible local ordinances, and to pursue education and enforcement options; no ordinance was adopted at the meeting.
Council members and city staff spent an extended portion of the Aug. 21 meeting discussing safety concerns about electric scooters and electric bicycles being operated unsafely in South Lebanon. Multiple council members described observing children traveling at high speeds, failing to stop at intersections and carrying passengers, and urged action to protect pedestrians and the bike trail.
Staff (identified in the record as Chase and Sergeant Adams) reviewed statutory sections they were consulting — cited in the meeting as 45.11.512, 45.11.514 and 45.11.7.711 — as potential bases for municipal regulation or enforcement of personal electric mobility devices. Chase said the statutes have "wonky definitions" and that staff will continue evaluating how best to differentiate device types and enforcement approaches.
Council members suggested a mix of approaches: targeted enforcement by deputies, school-based safety education, posting information on the city Facebook page and examining other cities’ ordinances. Several members expressed reluctance to punish very young children while noting that parents may be held accountable in some situations; staff said they would consult juvenile court and coordinate with the sheriff’s office.
No formal ordinance or enforcement policy was adopted at the meeting; council directed staff to research options and report back.
