Draper police data shows 25 scooter crashes in three years; council weighs local restrictions

Lee Chaplin, a crime analyst with the Draper Police Department, told the City Council on Feb. 3 that the department documented 29 electric‑vehicle accidents from January 2023 through December 2025, 25 of which involved scooters. “Of the 29 total accidents, 14 resulted in injuries,” Chaplin said, adding that seven riders were transported to the hospital for broken bones, dental injuries and other significant trauma.

Chaplin said riders ranged from 9 to 58 years old but that juveniles accounted for most crashes — 12 involved children 15 or younger and a further five were 16–17. He identified a concentration near 123rd and State Street and said at least 12 crashes were clearly caused by excessive speed or reckless operation. “These accidents were distributed evenly throughout this city,” Chaplin said, noting that many occurred in crosswalks where drivers reported scooters “darted out” and were not visible.

Staff and legal presenters reviewed relevant state code and enforcement limits. The city’s staff noted draft state changes that would allow 8–15‑year‑olds to operate e‑scooters under adult supervision or with a safety certificate and would require helmets for those under 21 in some cases. Jenny Johnson, the city’s senior prosecutor, cautioned that prosecuting many scooter violations can be difficult when device configuration (for example, pedal‑assist vs. motorized) is disputed. “That’s the type of distinction that’s very difficult to prosecute,” Johnson said.

Council members discussed several local options: raising the minimum allowed age, imposing helmet requirements for younger riders, banning high‑powered e‑motorcycles from sidewalks and trails, setting sidewalk speed limits, requiring audible passing signals and requiring riders to dismount and walk across crosswalks. Several members said they are uncomfortable with the current minimum age (eight years old under some code interpretations) and suggested considering 12–14 as a threshold for unsupervised operation.

Staff said they would draft actionable city code provisions that are objective and enforceable — for example, a helmet requirement, a clear sidewalk prohibition for certain device classes, and a proven speed threshold — and return with suggested language after monitoring the progress of related state bills.

Next steps: staff will prepare proposed local code changes for council consideration and continue tracking state legislation that could affect local authority.