The use of e-bikes, particularly among school-aged kids, has skyrocketed in communities across the country, prompting warnings from local authorities as kids use them to get to and from school.

Clinton Police Department School Resource Officer Kody Mair indicates they spent the days and weeks leading up to the start of school educating kids that e-bikes follow the same rules of the road as automobiles.

According to Officer Mair, young people can ride these e-bikes; however, come January 1, 2027, new laws will come into play for e-bikes that will put age restrictions on them. He encourages parents to become familiar with these laws and how they will impact their child and any e-bike they may own.

Last month with the Hart Media Group, Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers discussed in-depth the many issues e-bikes are presenting the community, but as it relates to the community's youth, he is not imploring the owners of these e-bikes to be mindful of the rules of the road, he is hoping motorists will keep a keen eye out for kids utilizing them until the law changes on Jan. 1.

Like Officer Mair, the Chief is imploring parents to be intentional about making sure their kids understand that those bikes must adhere to the rules of the road. He feels it is a matter of when, not if, they have an incident involving an e-bike and a motorist. 

While some high schoolers utilize e-bikes, he indicates they see them predominantly used by kids at Clinton Elementary School and Clinton Junior High School.