E-bike crash in Pittsburgh area leads to warning from police for parents

Police are warning and reminding parents, along with e-bike and e-scooter riders, after a crash earlier this week in Bethel Park.

The borough's police department posted on Facebook Tuesday afternoon, saying Monday evening, a juvenile was going at high speed on an e-bike. His friend was on an e-motorcycle.

Police say both were not following the traffic laws and that they did not stop at a stop sign.

The e-biker hit the side of a car that had the right of way, police said.

Bob Brown, who goes to a gym in Bethel Park, heard about the incident on the news Thursday morning.

"It was kind of inevitable," Brown, who lives in Peters Township, said.

The activity in Bethel Park is something Brown said he's seen in his own neighborhood. He said kids have been very loud and non-attentive while riding e-bikes and e-scooters over the last five years.

"Someday we're going to come out here – some kids are going to be lying in the street as part of an accident," he said.

Police say you must be 16 or older to ride e-bikes and e-scooters outside private property. For those underage, parents and guardians can be cited.

Any bad behavior that leads to damage or injuries could leave them liable too.

Bethel Park Police say even if your kids are old enough to ride, they still have to abide by the rules of the road -- following traffic lights, the signs, and the signals.

They say that if they don't do that, those offenses are citable.

Brentwood Borough also sent out a reminder on Facebook Tuesday afternoon, saying "motorized recreational vehicles" are not allowed anywhere in the borough, which includes streets, sidewalks, and parks.

The borough is seeing more incidents locally involving those devices – including those leading to crashes and injuries, the post said.