Pinellas County Schools is moving to regulate electric bikes and scooters on campus, becoming one of the first major local entities in the Tampa Bay area to establish its own micromobility rules after Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a statewide e-bike safety bill.
Background
The policy comes as e-bike use continues to climb among students, and after Pinellas County recorded more e-bike fatalities than any other county in the Tampa Bay region over the past five years.
During a recent School Board meeting, Director of Strategic Planning and Policy Leanna Ison outlined revisions to the district’s Code of Student Conduct. The new rules include definitions, storage requirements, and safety expectations aligned with state law.
The district has not yet released the full policy language. Still, officials say it establishes expectations for students who ride electric bikes and scooters to school while clarifying where the devices may be stored on campus.
Statewide Context
The move comes just weeks after DeSantis vetoed Senate Bill 382, legislation that would have established Florida’s first statewide e-bike safety standards.
The bill passed both chambers of the Legislature unanimously. Among its provisions, riders would have been required to slow to 10 mph when traveling within 50 feet of pedestrians on sidewalks and shared-use paths, yield to pedestrians, and provide an audible signal before passing.
In his veto message, however, DeSantis said many of those decisions should remain with local governments rather than Tallahassee. He also criticized the proposed speed restrictions as impractical and argued the bill could encourage greater government surveillance through enforcement technology.
That veto effectively left cities, counties, and public agencies responsible for setting many of their own expectations surrounding micromobility.
Local Impact
Pinellas County Schools is now doing just that; the district has already begun educating students and families about riding safely.
In a safety advisory posted on its website, the district notes that “while these devices are fun and convenient, they move fast and require extra caution,” and encourages students to obey traffic laws, wear helmets, remain alert around vehicles and pedestrians, and avoid distracted riding.
The issue has taken on greater urgency locally. As previously reported, 18 people riding e-bikes have been killed in Pinellas County over the past five years. Across the Tampa Bay region, 28 e-bike fatalities were recorded during that same period, making Pinellas the deadliest county in the region for e-bike crashes.
Original reporting: St. Pete Catalyst — read the source article.
