BOSTON — State lawmakers say it may be time to take a deeper dive into the state laws on electric dirt bikes to improve safety after the tragic death of a 13-year-old boy.
Police say that a young teen was riding an e-bike when he crashed into a car on Royal Street in Stoneham Friday night.
[ 13-year-old boy riding dirt bike killed in crash in Stoneham ]
There’s now a growing memorial at that crash site.
Governor Maura Healey and other top lawmakers say their hearts go out to the boy’s family.
“I can’t imagine what it’s like as a parent to get that news, it’s devastating,” said Gov. Healey. “Of course we all should be open to looking at whatever needs to be done to make sure things like this don’t happen again.”
Stoneham’s police chief posted reminders of E-bike safety laws on Sunday.
Some of them include:
-always wearing a helmet
-completing a state-approved safety course for operators under 18.
-e-bike riders should also follow the same rules as cyclists: staying in bike lanes or on the right side of the road
- the motor can only power the e-bike up to 20 miles an hour—anything faster requires a registration and driver’s license or learner’s permit.
“We want to get to the bottom of it, we want to look at ways to make it safer and make sure folks follow the laws we have on the books,” said Rep. Ron Mariano, Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. “And if they have to be expanded or training has to be insisted upon, that we begin to do that to license these folks to ride these bicycles.”a
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