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Fairfax County leaders are calling for caution as e-bikes surge in popularity among young riders, offering teenagers new independence while raising concerns about crashes and unsafe riding.
“It’s only a matter of time before we see serious injuries and worse,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said during the Board of Supervisors’ June 23 meeting.
Alcorn cited a recent Reston incident in which a young e-bike rider struck a median curb and crashed into a traffic lane. In May, an e-bike rider was seriously injured in a collision with a driver in Dunn Loring.
Board Chairman Jeff McKay said the rapid arrival of e-bikes appeared to catch county and state officials off guard.
“They’ve come out of nowhere, and they’re here,” McKay said.
He encouraged police officers to continue speaking with middle and high school students about safe riding. McKay also stressed that most e-bike users follow the law and that the bikes provide transportation for teenagers who may have few other options.
“There are a lot of good things” resulting from the increase in e-bike use, McKay said, but officials do not want anyone injured. He urged riders, drivers and pedestrians to practice “patience and respect.”
Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik, who rides an e-bike herself, supported more education about riders’ rights and responsibilities. She said officials broadly agree on the need for training.
Supervisors also said Fairfax County should have representation on a new task force being established under Del. Karrie Delaney, a Democrat representing District 9 who chairs the Virginia House Committee on Transportation.
Virginia law divides e-bikes into three classes. Class 1 bikes provide pedal assistance at speeds of up to 20 mph. Class 2 bikes can use a throttle without pedaling and also reach up to 20 mph. Class 3 bikes provide pedal assistance at speeds of up to 28 mph.
Class 3 riders must be at least 14 years old and wear helmets. Virginia does not require e-bike registration or a driver’s license.
Later in the June 23 meeting, supervisors approved changes to local vehicle ordinances that expand Fairfax County’s helmet requirement. Anyone younger than 15 must now wear a protective helmet while riding a scooter, e-bike or motorized skateboard on local roads.
Previously, county code required helmets for bicycle riders under 15 but did not mention those other forms of transportation.
“It’s a step of precaution,” Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck said.
Violations carry a $25 fine. That penalty is suspended for first-time offenders and for people who buy a helmet after receiving a ticket but before their court date.
Nearby communities are confronting similar issues. Vienna officials have received complaints about unsafe and reckless e-bike riding near parks, trails, neighborhoods and schools. Police have increased patrols in reported problem areas and are responding through education, community engagement and enforcement.
Vienna is also asking parents to teach young riders traffic rules, helmet use, visibility and respectful behavior around pedestrians and vehicles.
Falls Church officials have reported more incidents involving e-bikes and e-scooters. During a June 8 City Council meeting, Mayor Letty Hardi relayed residents’ complaints about young riders, particularly at Cherry Hill Park.
Hardi said attempts to stop the behavior had not succeeded. She described riders traveling directly through the park, weaving around people and evading police.
The mayor said she was worried about the children—who are sometimes riding without helmets, carrying two people on one bike and traveling at high speeds—as well as other people using parks, sidewalks and trails.
Falls Church City Manager Wyatt Shields said the city would work to address those concerns.