The Glencoe Village Board has enacted a series of regulations on e-scooters and e-bicycles, citing safety concerns with the increasingly popular transportation devices.
Village trustees unanimously approved a series of measures at an Aug. 20 meeting amid complaints from residents about their use – especially from minors – and reports of accidents in neighboring communities.
“They’re exciting, they’re fun, but they are very dangerous,” Public Safety Director Sean Loughran said at the meeting.
Loughran noted afterward he was only aware of one incident in the village itself, pointing to an accident involving an electric motorcycle capable of exceeding 60 miles per hour.
However, village officials wanted to introduce some new regulations, given overall safety concerns in the Chicago region. The Village Board previously discussed the issue at other meetings earlier in the summer.
Under the new laws that went into effect Sept. 1, all e-scooters are viewed in the same manner whether or not they would be categorized as “low-speed electric scooter” under Illinois law.
Riders are required to be at least 16 and possess a valid driver’s license to use an e-bike or other motor-driven vehicle (with the exception of e-scooters) without adult supervision or accompanied by an adult on Glencoe streets.
E-scooter drivers have to be over 18 and have a valid driver’s license to drive an e-scooter on the village’s thoroughfares.
E-bikes and e-scooters are restricted to roadways, where riders must follow traffic laws and speed limits. They are not permitted on sidewalks or village-owned parking lots.
Riders of all ages must wear a helmet, though motorized wheelchairs and toy vehicles designed for children under eight are exempted.
Loughran said if there are violators, both the children and the parents would be informed of the penalties, with citations and fines a possibility if there are repeat offenders.
Glencoe’s new laws follow recent examination of the same subject by Deerfield and Highland Park.
“The regulations presented tonight are our best effort to (learn from) what our neighbors have come up with,” Village President Howard Roin said.
He indicated the village’s new laws could be changed in the future.
“We don’t know yet what the perfect thing is but we hope it will help make our residents and our business district safer,” he said. “If someone else comes up with a better idea, we will certainly look at it.”
District 35 Superintendent Catherine Wang said the school district endorsed the new regulations implemented by the village.
“We will be sharing the village ordinance reminders with all families and seeking community support to ensure a safe environment on school grounds,” Wang wrote in an e-mail.
New Trier High School spokeswoman Nicole Dizon said there is not a specific school policy on the devices but the school encourages students to follow all applicable ordinances when operating a motorized vehicle.