Peotone Adopts State Law to Regulate Electric Scooters, Cites Safety and Enforcement Needs

The Peotone Village Board unanimously approved a new ordinance Monday regulating electric scooters, e-bikes, and personal mobility devices, aligning village code with a state law that officials described as confusing but necessary for public safety and local enforcement.

The ordinance, which passed 6-0, adopts a regulatory framework established by Illinois Public Act 103-0899. The move gives Peotone police the ability to issue local ordinance violations for infractions, a tool officials said offers more flexibility than writing state-level tickets that enter the county court system.

“The goal of this is to keep people safe,” Village Administrator Nick Palmer said during the meeting. “Unfortunately, we have seen some accidents that resulted in hospital visits both here in town and other communities where people are getting hurt.”

The new rules are based on a state law that has drawn criticism for its complexity. During the public comment portion of the meeting, resident Mark Jones questioned the logic behind the regulations, pointing out that low-speed electric scooters are limited to 10 mph and require an operator to be at least 18 years old, while more powerful Class 3 electric bicycles can reach 28 mph and can be operated by a 16-year-old.

Police Chief David DeMik and Village Attorney Michael Mars explained that Peotone, as a non-home rule community, has no authority to alter the state-mandated restrictions.

“It’s very confusing. It’s all over the place. It really makes no sense, but it’s what the state of Illinois did,” DeMik said.

Mars added that he anticipates further legislative action in Springfield to address the “patchwork” nature of the current law. “I don’t think we’ve seen the last from the legislature on this because these are becoming much more common,” Mars said. “For right now, we are dealing with what we have.”

Key provisions of the new ordinance include:

• Low-Speed Electric Scooters: Limited to 10 mph and can only be operated by individuals 18 years or older. They are prohibited on sidewalks in the downtown area.

• Electric Personal Mobility Devices: Includes Segways and hoverboards. Regulations mirror those for low-speed electric scooters.

• Low-Speed Electric Bicycles: Organized into three classes. Class 3 e-bikes, which can provide motor assistance up to 28 mph, can only be operated by individuals 16 or older. E-bikes are generally not permitted on sidewalks.

• General Rules: All devices are prohibited from being operated on any roadway with a posted speed limit over 35 mph. They must also be equipped with proper lighting for nighttime use.

Palmer emphasized that a key motivation for the ordinance was to address safety concerns, particularly in the downtown area. “These e-bikes were never supposed to be ridden on sidewalks in the downtown area,” he said, citing the danger to pedestrians exiting storefronts.

Trustees discussed using the school resource officer to help educate students on the new rules. Officials also plan to issue press releases to inform the public.

“As these become more common and available to younger teens, for instance, they’re not schooled in the traffic laws the same way that people 16 and over are,” Mars noted. “The goal… is to be able to educate people, be able to warn people, be able to issue citations where necessary in order to ensure that we don’t have a bad accident in the future.”