Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
Minors in Sunny Isles have to be 16 years old or older to ride e-bikes and scooters, according to a newly passed ordinance.
The ordinance was approved by the Sunny Isles Beach Commission on Tuesday, July 21. Riders will also be required to carry a government-issued ID with them when they ride, according to reporting from NBC 6. The new ordinance has also specified that e-bikes may not be ridden on sidewalks within city limits.
First offenders must pay a $250 fine. That amount increases to $500 for future violations. These ordinances will be accompanied by an educational outreach period set to begin on Aug. 16, 2026.
Ira Leesfield: E-Bike Safety Advocate
Leesfield & Partners, a Florida-based personal injury law firm, has handled all manner of road collisions, including those that involve cyclists and pedestrians. As a result of this experience, the firm has steadfastly supported safety and awareness campaigns. Over the last three decades, hazards on the road have evolved tremendously with upticks in crashes across the country related to distracted and impaired driving. As technology shifts, so does our perspective on safety. Among the first to spot the risks associated with micromobility devices in South Florida was Ira Leesfield, the firm’s Founder and Managing Partner.
In 2019, Mr. Leesfield publicly shared his opposition to the rise in micromobility use, citing a lack of regulations and care on the road.
“[In Florida,] we regulate the age and education of auto operators and even require insurance,” Mr. Leesfield said. “The E-bike operators and, more importantly, the distributors must play by the same rules.”
Safety concerns regarding e-bikes and scooters have prevailed unregulated throughout the U.S. ever since. Though these devices may be useful to get around city streets, they have proven to be both a nuisance and the potential to cause serious injuries.
“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.”
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.
Last month, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed Senate Bill 382, which would have provided various protections and a task force dedicated to reviewing incidents involving these devices.
For Mr. Leesfield, who has spent over five decades as a plaintiff’s personal injury attorney securing million-dollar-verdicts and settlements on behalf of those injured in “two-wheel” incidents, these changes would have been a first step to addressing this hazard.
“This isn’t about banning innovation, it’s about protecting people,” he said.
Leesfield & Partners
With offices in Miami and Key West, Leesfield & Partners has spent decades representing crash victims and grieving families impacted by accidents on Florida roads. Our skilled trial attorneys handle every case with the compassion, tenacity, and diligence necessary to secure the best possible outcome on behalf of every client and their family. The firm has secured numerous record verdicts and settlements throughout the state on behalf of injured bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorists.
The firm is currently representing a 21-year-old man who was severely injured on an e-scooter. As a result, he suffered a serious gash to his forehead and fractured his left arm.
This case is being handled by Partner Justin B. Shapiro.
Trial Attorney Bernardo Pimentel II is representing a man who was ejected from his bicycle following a Monroe County crash with a commercial truck driver.
“This driver’s one moment of inattention has left my client with life-altering injuries,” Mr. Pimentel said. “This frightening incident has left him in severe pain, causing a disruption to his daily life and happiness.”
Previous Cases
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.
If you or a loved one has been injured on Florida roads, don’t wait. Call a Leesfield & Partners attorney today at 305-854-4900 for a free consultation.
