Nevada Lawmakers To Address E-Scooter and E-Bike Safety as 285 Students Hit by Cars This School Year

A sharp rise in students struck by vehicles this school year is drawing urgent attention from safety advocates, researchers, and state lawmakers, with electronic devices and micromobility emerging as central concerns.

Clark County data show 285 students have been struck by cars during the current school year, based on incidents tracked from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on school days. The data are compiled from all local law enforcement agencies and presented by the Clark County School District Police. Of those 285 incidents, 131 involved students using electronic devices, a stark increase from nine such incidents the previous school year, according to preliminary analysis by researchers from UNLV's Transportation Research Center.

Erin Breen, a safety advocate with UNLV's Transportation Research Center, says the surge reflects a broader visibility problem on Nevada roads.

"[E-devices] are so hard for a driver to see... with children, they're always lower to the ground. You have people in really tall vehicles now, which is part of our overall vulnerable road user problem: when you have kids on these devices, whether it be an e-bike or an e-scooter, they're still lower than some of these vehicles," Breen said.

Data trends show that younger students, including many 12-year-olds, are commonly involved in operating electronic devices. Breen argues the threshold for device use should be tied directly to driving readiness.

"If your child isn't already studying for their driver's license, they have no business on an electronic device, period. I wish that I could say, oh, your child's the exception. You really don't know [road rules] until you start practicing driving. I think that's where the law needs to go," Breen said.

Roughly half of incidents are not the student's fault, underscoring that distraction and visibility are broader road-safety challenges rather than solely the responsibility of individuals. Local education campaigns on e-scooter and e-bike safety are ongoing, while state lawmakers work to shape future policy. Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 4 directed the Joint Interim Standing Committee on the Judiciary to study road safety and analyze existing laws governing e-bikes and e-scooters ahead of the next legislative session.

"The whole idea of people being on micromobility devices is a great thing for the community, but not if we aren't making sure that they're safe while they're doing it. It's just too dangerous for [younger kids] to be on these devices," Breen said.