Terrace RCMP are reminding residents about the rules around electric transportation after an incident involving a youth riding an e-motorbike without the required documents.
On the afternoon of Sept. 4, police saw a rider turning from the Canadian Tire area onto Highway 16 west. When an officer stopped the rider in a traffic stop, the rider was unable to provide a license, insurance, or registration. The individual then fled from the police.
Body-worn camera footage later helped the officers identify the rider as a youth who had yet to get a driver’s license. The officer located the youth, confirmed the identity, and issued tickets for no insurance, no license, and failing to stop for police.
The fines totalled more than $1,000. The youth’s parent was notified, and police said the parent supported the enforcement action.
RCMP are using the incident as a reminder to the public that electric vehicles such as e-scooters, e-bikes, and e-motorbikes all fall under various regulations. Parents and guardians are encouraged to review the rules before allowing their children to use them.
For example, electric kick scooters are permitted only in British Columbia communities involved in a provincial pilot project. Terrace is not among them. Within the participating communities, riders must be at least 16 years old but no license or insurance is required. Parents can also be ticketed, for example, for allowing someone under 16 to operate an e-scooter.
E-bikes also have their own set of requirements, which can be found on the province’s website. Police say they need the public’s cooperation to make sure the devices are being operated legally and safely.
