Leesfield & Partners’ Founder and Managing Partner, Ira Leesfield, has been an outspoken advocate for regulating the use of E-bikes and E-scooters throughout communities and now, years later, officials are heeding his warning.
The University of Miami recently announced a plan to tighten restrictions on personal mobility devices on campus. E-bikes and E-scooters will be banned from sidewalks, breezeways, the Foote Green and other pedestrian areas starting Tuesday, Aug. 19. Undergraduate classes for the fall 2025 semester are scheduled to begin on Monday, Aug. 18, according to the university’s online calendar.
The move at the University of Miami was made to tighten these restrictions are a part of a safety campaign started by the school’s Parking and Transportation Department after a “growing number” of pedestrian collisions, blocked emergency routes and battery fires, according to reporting from The Miami Herald. The issues with student drivers flagged in the article — riders distracted by cellphones, blaring music and zooming through pedestrian areas — are all concerns raised by Mr. Leesfield when he first warned against their use in 2019.
“Being unsightly may not be unforgivable, but landing innocent pedestrians or others in a neurosurgical coma is,” Mr. Leesfield said in his 2019 Op-Ed about the micro mobility devices. “Not to mention a slew of other reported serious injuries … Just ask those who work at Hospitals and Emergency rooms or walk-in medical facilities.”
While Mr. Leesfield’s primary concern with these electric bikes has been their potential for causing injuries while in use, the increasing number of fire-related incidents involving their batteries is also a growing cause for concern. Earlier this year in Key West, where Leesfield & Partners has one of three Florida offices, fire officials warned the public about lithium-ion batteries connected to E-bikes and E-scooters. This came after a fire in the area that caused significant damage was found to have been started because of an E-bike battery.
“These batteries can overheat, catch fire or even explode, causing the possibility of injuries, fires, and deaths,” officials with the City of Key West Fire Department said in a safety advisory. “In addition, running e-vehicles through standing salt water during high tides can make them unstable.”
In the U.S., data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission states that there was a 21% increase from 2021 to 2022 in injuries involving these electric modes of transportation in the United States. Minors 14 years old and younger make up a “significant” amount of the reported injuries, according to reporting from CBS Miami.
The CPSC also reported that, in addition to crashes, the e-bikes also have issues with fires. Electric vehicle fires can burn hotter and longer than gas-powered fires and can be more difficult to put out and pose a significant threat to firefighters. While EV fires occur less frequently than traditional gas fires, they take a considerable amount of time and more water to put out. From January 2021 until November 2022, the CPSC reported at least 19 deaths as a result of fires involving the micro-mobility machines.
Just this week, local media reported the death of an E-scooter rider in Miami Beach. A spokesperson for the Miami Beach Police Department urged micromobility device motorists to stay alert and practice safe driving habits following the tragedy. The department has even launched an awareness campaign focused on education and safety and, according to spokesperson, “… this [incident] is a harsh example of why.”
Leesfield & Partners
Leesfield & Partners, the personal injury law firm founded by Mr. Leesfield in 1976, brings decades of expertise in personal injury litigation. From bicycle accidents to fire and electrocution incidents, the firm has successfully handled a wide range of injury cases, many of which have led to record-breaking settlements and verdicts statewide. Recognized both locally and nationally, the firm continues to make a significant impact on public safety, working tirelessly to protect future generations.
In regularly speaking out about issues like those he has seen with E-bikes, Mr. Leesfield has become a public safety advocate. Through initiatives like the safety advisories displayed on the digital sign outside the firm’s Miami office on U.S. 1—a major commuter route — he raises awareness on critical safety concerns. Additionally, through The Leesfield Family Foundation, Mr. Leesfield partners with local organizations to tackle pressing issues such as impaired driving, sex abuse, pedestrian safety, and more, reinforcing his commitment to making communities safer for all.
Previous Cases
Leesfield & Partners has handled all manner of injuries caused as the result of road incidents in Florida for nearly five decades. In that time, the firm has secured millions on behalf of injured cyclists and pedestrians. In a bid to raise awareness about road and pedestrian safety, Mr. Leesfield has periodically posted public safety advisories on the digital board outside of the firm’s Miami office, which sits on U.S. 1 and is seen by thousands of commuters each day. Additionally, Mr. Leesfield has also teamed up with organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Friends of The Underline through his charitable organization, The Leesfield Family Foundation.
A case involving a bicyclist who was hit while stopped on the shoulder of the Overseas Highway in Key West resulted in a $5,350,000 settlement for the client. In that case, the bicyclist who was stopped on the side of the road was hit by a driver who was distracted by their car’s GPS.
A pedestrian-involved incident handled by the firm resulted in the maximum recovery amount of $6 million awarded to our injured client. In that case, a woman was walking back to her office following a mid-day break when she was struck by a truck making an illegal left turn whose driver claimed not to see her in the marked crosswalk. The woman had severe injuries including skull fractures and brain hemorrhages as a result of the driver’s negligence.
For a Toronto family, a vacation to Fort Myers turned into a nightmare after a pickup truck driver failed to see a young wife and mother attempting to cross the street. Leesfield & Partners attorneys recovered an $8.5 million settlement for the family following a $27 million arbitration award.
Another pedestrian-involved incident handled by the firm resulted in a $2.9 million recovery.
The firm previously recovered $3 million for a mother and son injured in a bicycle incident.