On behalf of the Ashburn Village Community Association (AVCA), I am submitting testimony in strong support of HB 1120, which proposes the formation of a workgroup to examine and recommend updates to Virginia law regarding e‑bikes and other electric personal‑mobility devices.
Our community has experienced a rapid increase in the use of e‑bikes, electric scooters, and similar devices with motors of 750 watts or more. While these technologies provide convenient and sustainable transportation options, they have also raised significant safety and property‑damage concerns, particularly when operated by minors or inexperienced users who may lack training or awareness of road rules. AVCA has observed unsafe operation by minors who often lack knowledge of traffic laws or proper safety equipment, reckless riding on streets, sidewalks, and trails that creates hazards for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists, and damage to common areas and landscaped spaces from off‑path riding or misuse. Additionally, law enforcement, including the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, faces challenges in applying existing statutes to these devices because current laws are outdated, unclear, or insufficient. These devices often do not fit neatly into existing classifications for bicycles, mopeds, or motor vehicles, making it difficult to address unsafe behavior, establish age or licensing requirements, or issue citations that hold up legally.
HB 1120 represents a necessary step forward. A formal workgroup that includes lawmakers, law‑enforcement agencies, community associations, safety experts, and industry representatives can develop clear, modernized, and enforceable standards. Such a group can identify appropriate age and training requirements, establish equipment and safety standards, define operational rules for roads, trails, and sidewalks, update device classifications to reflect today’s technology, and provide effective enforcement tools that law‑enforcement agencies can reliably apply.
Updating Virginia’s legal framework in this way will promote safer use of e‑bikes and other electric mobility devices, protect residents, reduce property damage, and support responsible recreation. For these reasons, the Ashburn Village Community Association strongly supports HB 1120 and urges its passage.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony.
Mark Walker
General Manager
Ashburn Village Community Association
On behalf of the Ashburn Village Community Association (AVCA), I am submitting testimony in strong support of HB 1120, which proposes the formation of a workgroup to examine and recommend updates to Virginia law regarding e‑bikes and other electric personal‑mobility devices. Our community has experienced a rapid increase in the use of e‑bikes, electric scooters, and similar devices with motors of 750 watts or more. While these technologies provide convenient and sustainable transportation options, they have also raised significant safety and property‑damage concerns, particularly when operated by minors or inexperienced users who may lack training or awareness of road rules. AVCA has observed unsafe operation by minors who often lack knowledge of traffic laws or proper safety equipment, reckless riding on streets, sidewalks, and trails that creates hazards for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists, and damage to common areas and landscaped spaces from off‑path riding or misuse. Additionally, law enforcement, including the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, faces challenges in applying existing statutes to these devices because current laws are outdated, unclear, or insufficient. These devices often do not fit neatly into existing classifications for bicycles, mopeds, or motor vehicles, making it difficult to address unsafe behavior, establish age or licensing requirements, or issue citations that hold up legally. HB 1120 represents a necessary step forward. A formal workgroup that includes lawmakers, law‑enforcement agencies, community associations, safety experts, and industry representatives can develop clear, modernized, and enforceable standards. Such a group can identify appropriate age and training requirements, establish equipment and safety standards, define operational rules for roads, trails, and sidewalks, update device classifications to reflect today’s technology, and provide effective enforcement tools that law‑enforcement agencies can reliably apply. Updating Virginia’s legal framework in this way will promote safer use of e‑bikes and other electric mobility devices, protect residents, reduce property damage, and support responsible recreation. For these reasons, the Ashburn Village Community Association strongly supports HB 1120 and urges its passage. Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony. Mark Walker General Manager Ashburn Village Community Association