Douglas County weighs e-moto crackdown

The big picture: Electric two-wheeled vehicles are exploding in popularity among Colorado children and teens — creating confusion for parents, riders and law enforcement.

• State laws haven't kept pace with a new generation of vehicles that can reach speeds of 60 mph or more even though they look like bicycles.

But county leaders say the issue isn't traditional e-bikes — it's the speedier e-motos.

What they're saying: "You've got recreational e-bike use, and then there's the dirt bike look and feel of some of these other vehicles. ... And we need to catch up with the technology and make sure those are thoughtfully regulated," Commissioner Abe Laydon tells Axios.

Zoom in: Douglas County sheriff's officials say they've seen a surge of kid-operated high-powered electric bikes and e-motos on public roads and sidewalks.

• Most riders stopped by deputies this past weekend were between 12 and 14 years old — and one was as young as 10.

"Frankly, we're super-concerned about the demographic of kids who are riding these," says Jason Kennedy, the county's undersheriff.

• One e-moto was carrying three people.
• The sheriff's office regularly posts videos on social media showing crashes, near-misses and riders fleeing deputies.

Driving the news: Under the proposal, many e-motos would be treated more like off-road vehicles than bicycles, limiting where they can legally operate in unincorporated Douglas County.

• Even if riders wanted to register them, many e-motos lack equipment — such as turn signals — that would make them street legal, Kennedy says.
• He adds vehicles exceeding the state's 750-watt e-bike threshold are among the proposal's primary targets.

"When they disperse into traffic, they become incredibly dangerous," Kennedy says.

By the numbers: Research has linked the growing popularity of e-bikes and similar vehicles to rising injury rates among children.

Caveat: Many parents aren't intentionally breaking rules — they simply don't know better.

• "We're not trying to be the fun police," Laydon says.
• The sheriff's office launched an e-bike education campaign this year after receiving frequent questions from parents asking whether their bikes were legal.

Context: Colorado recently approved new labeling and disclosure requirements to help consumers distinguish legal e-bikes from more powerful electric vehicles.

• Castle Pines adopted new rules targeting low-speed EVs and off-highway vehicles.
• Lone Tree launched an education campaign explaining the differences among e-bikes, e-motos and e-scooters.

What's next: Commissioners will review the proposal Tuesday and gather public feedback.

• A final vote could come later this month.

The bottom line: Douglas County officials say they aren't trying to regulate e-bikes out of existence — but they're trying to figure out what to do with vehicles that look like bikes, move like motorcycles and are being ridden by children.