D.C. eyes e-scooter crackdown after deadly crashes
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D.C. may crack down on e-scooters and e-bikes after deadly crashes and increased crimes involving the vehicles. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images
D.C. could soon get tougher on reckless e-scooter and e-bike riding — and sidewalk-clogging parking jobs.
Why it matters: Deadly crashes, including an e-scooter collision this month, have heightened concerns about electric-ride safety, as the District weighs new approaches.
Driving the news: D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen is pressing the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) to use its upcoming permit renewals to hold shared e-scooter and e-bike companies, including Lime and Veo, more accountable for rider safety.
- Allen, who chairs the transportation committee, submitted recommendations during a public comment period that ended last month.
- The new permits are expected to take effect in the first half of 2027, his office tells Axios.
Zoom in: Allen's proposing several changes to the rules governing shared electric rides:
- Slow down on sidewalks: Cut the speed limit for sidewalk riding from 10 mph to 5 mph, while raising the roadway limit to 15 mph.
- Stop scooter dumping: Crack down on devices blocking sidewalks and bike lanes, and incentivize riders to park in designated areas.
- Hold bad riders accountable: Make it easier to report dangerous riding, collisions and near-misses, with consistent penalties across operators, including suspensions and bans.
- Keep companies on the hook: Establish clear consequences for operators that fail to address unsafe behavior, potentially including revoked permits.
Friction point: DDOT is also proposing to extend operators' permits from two years to five — a change Allen worries could weaken incentives for companies to address complaints and manage their fleets responsibly.
By the numbers: This year, D.C. police reported four fatalities involving e-bikes, two involving stand-up e-scooters and three involving mopeds, as of October.
🛴 Meanwhile: Lime has announced a $17 million safety initiative in D.C., including technology to detect sidewalk riding, tandem riders and reckless maneuvers.
- The company says it has banned nearly 1,000 accounts in four weeks and is stepping up age verification, enforcement and street patrols.
- And MPD recently launched a citywide safety outreach effort targeting e-bike and e-scooter riders through the end of the year.
What's next: DDOT will weigh public comments as it finalizes the rules governing shared e-scooters and e-bikes. Allen's office says the upcoming permit cycle is the fastest way to implement changes without waiting for new legislation.