Pinecrest is putting a safety checkpoint between children and the throttle. A new village ordinance requires riders under 16 to complete training with a parent or guardian before using certain e-bikes on local sidewalks, roads and shared-use paths.
The rule applies to anyone under 16 operating a Class 2 e-bike, according to NBC 6 South Florida. The course is free, officials say, and the village’s stated goal is education rather than an outright ban on e-bikes.
Parents Must Attend And Sign Acknowledgment
Under the program, young riders and a parent or guardian must attend the safety class together and sign an acknowledgment form. The training covers e-bike classifications, local rules and the differences between e-bikes, traditional bicycles and electric motorcycles, according to the Village of Pinecrest.
The ordinance also caps e-bike and e-scooter speeds at 15 mph on shared-use paths, including Kendall Linear Park, and 10 mph on sidewalks. The required training must be renewed every two years, and violations can bring a $250 first-offense fine or $500 for repeat violations.
South Florida Hospitals Are Seeing More Serious Crashes
The new rules arrive as local hospitals report that e-bike injuries are becoming more frequent and more severe. Memorial Healthcare System reported a 178% increase in e-bike and e-scooter injuries from 2024 to 2025, with the trend continuing into 2026.
Memorial said 44% of its 2025 injury cases involved patients younger than 18, while 82% of injured riders were not wearing helmets. More than half of the pediatric cases involved children ages 12 to 15, the same age group Pinecrest’s new training requirement is designed to reach.
Doctors at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital have also warned about a rise in pediatric trauma cases tied to e-bikes and e-scooters, including broken bones, internal organ damage and punctured lungs, as previously reported by Local 10. Injury prevention officials have urged families to consider a rider’s age and experience, not just whether a child can physically handle the bike.
Pinecrest Joins A Growing Patchwork Of Local Rules
Pinecrest is not the only Miami-Dade community tightening e-bike regulations. Sunny Isles Beach has approved a stricter approach that bars people under 16 from renting or riding e-bikes and prohibits e-bike use on city sidewalks, according to NBC 6 South Florida.
For Pinecrest families, the immediate takeaway is straightforward: a child under 16 cannot simply hop on a Class 2 e-bike and take off. Parents who need information about upcoming classes can contact the Pinecrest Police Department at 305-234-2100, while the village says training sessions are being offered during the summer.
