Storm Lake leaders weigh crackdown on unsafe child e-bike use

Storm Lake police want the city to draw a harder line on children riding e-bikes and e-scooters too fast, too young, or in ways that put pedestrians at risk. Police Chief Chris Cole asked the City Council to consider action against parents who allow improper use, while Mayor Meg McKeon said the speeding and behavior of minors on the vehicles has become a serious safety concern. The council agreed to take public input later this month before deciding whether to write or strengthen a local ordinance.

Cole told council members the problem is not just nuisance riding. He said officers are being asked to deal with 9-, 10- and 11-year-olds, but enforcement becomes difficult when the riders are that young and the department does not have the staffing to police every complaint-heavy street with speed radar. That has left city leaders weighing whether the issue is best handled as a parenting failure, an enforcement gap, or a safety problem created by streets and trails that were not built for the new vehicles.

Iowa law already sets several guardrails. Under state code, a person under 16 cannot operate a Class 3 low-speed electric bicycle, and those bikes must have a speedometer. Riders also cannot use low-speed electric bicycles on roadways with speed limits above 25 mph unless they are in a bike lane or crossing the road. On sidewalks or multi-use trails, riders must yield to pedestrians, give an audible signal before passing, and stay under 20 mph.

That state framework makes the local debate more pointed in Storm Lake, where children are reportedly using the vehicles in ways police say are unsafe or unlawful. The lake trail came up in the discussion as one place the city could consider restricting pedal-free electric vehicles. Council members also discussed minimum age rules and whether to prohibit earbuds or headphones in both ears while riding.

The issue will land before the Storm Lake City Council, which meets at 5:00 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month at City Hall. McKeon, whose term expires in December 2029, said the safety risk is real, and city leaders appear to be testing how far local rules can go without creating a policy that is impossible to enforce.

The local discussion also comes as Iowa officials are taking a broader look at electric mobility rules. On April 22, 2026, the Iowa Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee discussed House Study Bill 637, which would expand regulation beyond e-bikes to include electric personal assistive mobility devices and pedestrian conveyances, and members said a public education campaign may be needed as e-bikes and e-scooters spread.