Carmel safety officials urge e-bike caution; ask students to walk bikes on school grounds

Tim Griffin of the Carmel Fire Department and Officer Vasquez, a school resource officer at Clay Middle School, delivered a joint safety message urging caution around e-bikes and reminding students to walk bikes on school property during busy arrival and dismissal periods.

"The number of crashes involving e bikes is increasing every year as they become more prevalent in our communities," Griffin said, citing a trend he said has prompted the departments to emphasize basic precautions. Griffin recommended wearing a helmet, following road rules and riding at safe speeds to reduce serious injuries and the likelihood of emergency calls.

Officer Vasquez said the school enforces a requirement that students dismount and walk bikes while on school grounds during arrival and dismissal because of the mix of cars, buses and pedestrians and reduced visibility during darker mornings and evenings. She described the step as "critical to keeping everyone safe." The statement reflects the district-level guidance from Carmel Clay Schools and local safety partners, officials said.

The announcement listed the Carmel Fire Department, Carmel Police Department and Carmel Clay Schools as participants in the outreach. No specific crash statistics, enforcement actions or new ordinances were announced during the briefing; the message was framed as a proactive public-safety advisory.

Officials closed by thanking the community for helping to keep public spaces safe and reminding riders of simple precautions that officials say can lower injury risk.