In Belmont, theft and erratic operation remain the most frequent reports associated with the increasingly popular micromobility vehicles, a category of transportation devices that includes e-bikes, e-scooters, and mopeds.
According to Police Lt. Paul Cowing, the department has received “scattered complaints” about e-bikes and e-scooters, involving both child and adult operators.
“I expect these complaints to grow as these devices become more common and accessible,” he said. “While I personally haven’t seen an increase in crashes yet, the higher volume of devices on the street increases the likelihood of more frequent and severe injuries compared to traditional bicycles and scooters.”
Between January 2022 and September 2026, roughly seven to 10 incident reports each year included the words “e-bike,” “e-scooter,” or “moped,” according to a public records request The Belmont Voice obtained. Of those responses, 12 were theft reports, eight were erratic-operation reports, and five were motor vehicle crash reports.
The five-year data period included a motor vehicle crash in November 2024 that resulted in the death of 18-year-old Luke Currier. According to the incident report, Currier was traveling eastbound riding a moped on Trapelo Road at a “high rate of speed,” weaving in and out of traffic, before colliding with a white Honda CRV traveling westbound. According to Cowing, the investigation is now considered “closed.”
In one incident, operating without a helmet was the sole reason for the citation or complaint. In at least three of the reports of erratic operation or motor vehicle crashes, the operators or passengers were not wearing helmets, which are required on mopeds for all ages in Massachusetts.
While mopeds require a license and registration to operate, most e-bikes and e-scooters do not.
Both police and fire are working to educate the public about safe operation and current regulations “while still supporting micromobility as a valuable form of alternative transportation,” Cowing said.
Interim Fire Chief Andrew Tobio said the department recently had an “off-the-cuff” conversation with a resident trauma doctor who works in Boston.
“We are attempting to connect and set up a PSA that both we and the hospitals can use,” Tobio said.
He clarified that the fire department can respond only if someone needs medical care during an incident.
“I think that these modes of transportation are new and different, which everyone is noticing,” he said. “Communities are probably all eager to see how the Ride Safe Act pans out on a state level to gain more direction.”
In May, Gov. Maura Healey filed legislation recognizing the growing use of micromobility devices.
“Micromobility is already a part of how people get to work, school and around their communities, but right now, the rules are unclear and inconsistent,” Healey said in a statement. “We are seeing too much reckless behavior, more crashes and close calls, and too many people, especially pedestrians and young riders, are at risk.”
Among other things, the legislation seeks to set minimum age requirements for operating higher-speed e-bikes and e-scooters; establish helmet requirements for specified device categories; and ensure lower-speed e-bikes follow bike lane rules (with helmet requirements for riders under 16), while higher-speed devices like mopeds would be limited to riders age 16 and older and face stricter requirements, including registration, insurance, and roadway restrictions.
The legislation follows a 2026 report from the special commission on micromobility that found the prevalence of micromobility devices “skyrocketed” nationwide in the last decade. In 2016, e-bikes made up 2% of U.S. bicycle sales revenue, according to the report. A decade later, they account for 28% of the market.
“These devices are a big part of daily life for so many people, and they bring a lot of benefits, but there is limited guidance in the current laws, and there seems to be a lot of confusion about what is allowed, what should be allowed, what is definitely not allowed,” said Select Board member Carol Berberian at a meeting earlier this fall.
According to Berberian, residents have reached out to the board about damage to local parks, as well as safety concerns about riders on the road. While the town awaits approval of Healey’s legislation, she offered to lead the discussion in town on what the rules and policies are in Belmont.
“There are so many different devices, and I think a lot of families may not realize where the standards are for the devices in their home,” she said.
