Electric Bikes for Middle and High School Students

E-bikes are growing in popularity and can be a valuable way to reduce vehicle congestion around a school.

Florida's electric bicycle law for the road

Electric bicycles are regulated like bicycles. The same rules of the road apply to both electric bicycles and human-powered bicycles. 

Electric bicycles are not subject to the registration, licensing, or insurance requirements that apply to motor vehicles. 

• Class 1: Bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the electric bicycles reaches 20 mph. Florida designates three classes of electric bicycles: 

• Class 2: Bicycle equipped with a throttle-actuated motor, that ceases to provide assistance when the electric bicycle reaches 20 mph. 

• Class 3: Bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the electric bicycle reaches 28 mph. 

Class 1, 2 and 3 electric bicycles may be ridden wherever bicycles are allowed including bicycle paths and multi-use paths. 

All operators and passengers of an electric bicycle under 16 years of age are required to wear a helmet.

Download Florida's Electrical Bicycle Law PDF here. 

The following resources offer safety information that can inform decisions by program organizers, parents, schools and students about the “who, when, where” of e-bike use.

• Are Electric Bikes (E-Bikes) Safe for Children? from the American Academy of Pediatrics  
• E-Bikes: What Parents Should Know from Marin Safe Routes to School Program 
• Are Electric Bikes (E-bikes) Safe for Kids? How to Prevent Injuries from CHOC 
• E-Bike Smart training from the League of American Bicyclists (Note that this training is for all ages. Access requires free registration).  
• Recall Search from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Before selecting an e-bike, confirm that there are no recalls for it.