By Jim Carchidi
February 25, 2026
MetroPlan Orlando is piloting an e-bike safety training program for middle and high school students in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties. The effort is in response to the rise in traffic incidents and community concerns over vehicle misuse.
The age group
Image courtesy of MetroPlan Orlando
According to data presented at the Feb. 25 meeting of MetroPlan Orlando’s Community Advisory Committee, about 31% of bicycle crashes in 2025 involved an e-bike or e-scooter. Winter Garden commissioners approved new e-bike restrictions in January, and the city of Winter Park prohibits the use of rental scooters and bikes within city limits, but allows the use of personal e-bikes, requiring riders to follow Florida bicycle laws and to avoid use on sidewalks.
MetroPlan Senior Planner Mighk Wilson said the pilot program will offer an existing safety course, developed and administered by the American Bicycle Education Association, at no cost to students ages 12-15.
“If they’re younger than that, they probably shouldn’t be on an e-bike,” Wilson said. “After 10th grade, (students) move on to cars, so it’s an ideal time to reach them with education on how to operate their first motor vehicle.”
The curriculum
The one-hour online course consists of 21 video modules with quizzes and general knowledge surveys are taken before and after the course to gauge success rates. The course covers the following information:
- E-bike basic knowledge: Battery safety, vehicle care and safety equipment
- Rules of movement: Understanding the roadway and where to ride
- Avoiding crashes: Speed and stopping distance, identifying high-risk situations and countermeasures
- Riding with friends: In-group communication, communicating with others on the road
Wilson explained the course is currently available to anyone for a $35 fee and the intent is for each school board to acquire licensing for student access.
Recommendations
Among the Community Advisory Committee recommendations were home school availability and liability waivers. Some members also believed the course should be mandatory. Wilson said participation can be incentivized by only allowing successful participants to have their e-bikes on school grounds, however the final determination would be up to school principals.
“We want all riders irrespective of age to be predictable, to be visible, to be relevant,” Wilson added. “All we can do is give them the information, but if they implement it they will be safer.'
Timeline
MetroPlan has begun coordinating the program with school boards and expects distribution between late winter and early spring. Reports on the program are expected in June along with recommendations on long-term implementation.
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About the Author
Jim Carchidi is an Orlando journalist and photographer with previous work at the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Business Journal. He covers development, arts, culture, and local stories for The Orlando Real.
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