Las Vegas Police Urge E-Bike Safety: Local Store Shares Essential Tips

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Metro Police are pleading with the public and parents around the Valley after a child was critically injured in an electric scooter crash.

Police say the 9-year-old went through a stop sign, crashing into a car.

Authorities want all riders to remember to wear a helmet, always remain visible, and watch out for drivers as well.

They are also urging parents to educate their children before getting them the popular electric rides that are all the rage.

It has created a debate among people concerned about dangerous riding by kids.

Right now, the e-bikes are one of their most popular items at BBV Powersports, with employees selling several every week, many to young kids and teens.

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"We can't sell anything in this building to anybody under 18. It has to be an adult," said Billy Guitar, one of the employees at the store. "And I would be very impressed to see any kid that can afford one of these without their parents."

But, he says, with that comes responsibility.

You need to load them up, and it's not just a helmet, it's not just gloves," said Guitar. "You need to get all the gear and make sure that the riding safe."

Some bikes already have kids' safety monitors built in.

"You can adjust the speed, adjust the power," said Guitar. "If a rider falls off, the power gets cut off from the bike. It even has a speaker so a parent, or anybody that's supervising, can talk to the rider and tell them, 'Hey, slow down.'"

But he says the bigger and faster e-bikes are more popular.

So, he lets parents and their children know what the rules are before they power up, including where they can ride and at what speeds.

"I let them know these things have a lot of torque. It's not like a regular dirt bike. They have a lot of power," said Guitar.

Velena Baranova says she gets nervous every time her 13-year-old son Giani goes out to ride.

She says having conversations with children about the dangers is key.

"It's crucially important, like I said, before he goes to every ride, we talk to him," said Baranova.

So, they started with some extra rules when he started.

"I stayed in, like, a strict zone, no major streets that surround my neighborhood, just around my neighborhood to the park and back," said Giani. "And then my parents got more comfortable with trusting me."

And now Giani has a tracker so they know where he is in case they need to respond.

"I have headphones in my helmet, so every time I get a call, it gives me an alert, and I'll we'll always know, so I can always answer and be punctual with updates," he said.

Baranova says as long as kids follow the rules, she believes there are benefits to allowing them to get out and ride.

"Sitting on social media all the time, it's not healthy for the brain and growth, and social and everything," she said.

Both Giani and Guitar say one of the safest places to ride is on designated trails.

And they say it's a fun activity to do with the whole family.