Barrington Police are reminding parents that the common-sense safety measures applied to electric bikes should also be used with electric scooters. 

The notice followed an e-scooter accident that occurred inside the Barrington Shopping Center parking lot at about 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30. Police said a 15-year-old Barrington boy riding an electric scooter in the parking lot collided with a mini-van. EMTs responded to the scene of the accident and later transported the boy to a hospital. Police said the boy was wearing a helmet — he was also traveling the wrong way when he drove his e-scooter into the right rear quarter of a vehicle driven by a 21-year-old Barrington woman. 

Barrington Police Chief Michael Correia said the accident could have been much worse. 

“Thankfully, it was a near miss,” he said. 

Chief Correia shared a reminder for a warning issued last summer: While there is currently no state law or local ordinance governing electric scooters, he strongly suggests that parents apply the common-sense safety measures applied to e-bikes to e-scooters.

“Together we can prevent a serious injury in our town,” Chief Correia said at that time. “Thank you for your cooperation.”

Additional information: 

• State law prohibits a juvenile under 16 years of age to operate any class of electric motorized bicycles; 

• State law requires all operators of and passengers on (under 21) an electric motorized bicycles to wear a certified helmet; 

• State law prohibits the operation of ‘Recreational Vehicles” (ATV and unclassified electric dirt bikes) on roads; 

• State law requires helmets to be worn by anyone age 15 and younger who is an operator or a passenger on a bicycle, or using or operating a skateboard, roller skates, inline skates, or scooter, whether electric or otherwise.