GROSSE POINTE WOODS, Mich. (June 22, 2026) — Last week, Sen. Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores) hosted a roundtable with local leaders and public safety officers from the Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods to discuss growing concerns over the reckless use of motorized bikes and scooters in the community and explore potential solutions.
“The number of young people riding faster and more dangerous e-bikes across our lakeshore community without a clear understanding of the rules of the road is a disaster waiting to happen,” said Sen. Hertel. “We cannot wait for more kids to be hurt before we take a serious look at current laws and ordinances and find a solution that keeps both our drivers and riders safe. That’s why this discussion is so important — it’s about getting ahead of a growing problem before more preventable tragedies occur.”
From Commerce Township and Dearborn Heights to Port Huron and Marquette, accidents involving e-Bikes are on the rise across Michigan as the products have become incredibly popular, especially among teenagers and young adults. While many e-bikes travel at speeds between 20 and 30 mph, some can reach 50 mph — speeds that can result in a serious or even fatal crash, especially for young people who oftentimes ride without helmets and don’t obey road rules.
The urgency of the issue was underscored just hours after Monday’s discussion, when a driver hit two kids on e-bikes in St. Clair Shores. While the circumstances of that incident remain under investigation, it serves as another reminder of the need for public education and a thoughtful review of Michigan’s current laws.
“We’ve been very fortunate here in Grosse Pointe Woods to not have had any fatal accidents involving e-Bikes yet, but we can’t afford to wait until that changes,” said John Kosnake, Grosse Pointe Woods Public Safety Director. “We should be taking a proactive approach to ensure no family in our community has to suffer such a tragedy. And thanks to Senator Hertel’s leadership and forward-thinking approach, we’re able to begin that work now.”
Michigan legalized the use of e-bikes statewide in 2017, creating a three-class system to define how they are regulated. However, during the roundtable discussion, many participants agreed that the original classifications are not keeping up with product advancements as newer, faster, and more powerful models are blurring the lines between traditional e-bikes, electric motorcycles, and other motorized vehicles. Public safety officials also expressed concern that children as young as 10 years old are operating high-speed e-bikes, often without helmets, formal safety training, or adult supervision.
Following the discussion, local officials expressed a commitment to continued collaboration on a coordinated regional approach to e-bike regulation, with Sen. Hertel planning to engage additional stakeholders and begin working on potential state-level legislative solutions.
“Over the past several weeks, it has become increasingly clear — both as a parent and as a local elected official — that residents across our community are deeply concerned about the growing safety challenges posed by e-bikes and other micromobility devices,” said Grosse Pointe Farms City Councilmember Neil Sroka. “I share those concerns, which is why I’m grateful to Senator Hertel for bringing together public safety leaders and local officials from across our communities to begin identifying practical solutions. The discussion we had was an important opportunity to explore what steps local communities can take now, while also identifying ways the state can support those efforts.”
A part of Monday’s roundtable was State Rep. Veronica Paiz (D-Harper Woods), Grosse Pointe Woods Mayor Arthur Bryant, Grosse Pointe Woods Public Safety Director John Kosanke, Grosse Pointe Farms City Councilmember Neil Sroka, Grosse Pointe Farms Public Safety Director John Hutchins, Grosse Pointe Councilwoman Maureen Juip, Grosse Pointe City Manager Joe Valentine, Grosse Pointe Public Safety Director John Alcorn, Grosse Pointe Park Public Safety Director Jim Bostock, and public safety officers from the City of Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Park, Grosse Pointe Shores, and Grosse Pointe Woods.
