Police Urge Parents To Talk To Children About Motorized Vehicle Safety After Serious Collisions

HUNTLEY, IL — Officers with one suburban police department are urging parents to talk to their children about the laws surrounding electric motorized vehicles, with the hopes of preventing serious collisions.

Kevin Keane, who is with the Huntley Police Department's patrol service bureau, said the city has been posting via social media regarding the legality of various types of motorized vehicles, like dirt bikes, and whether they are authorized for roadways.

Up until this past weekend, the city of Huntley has not seen many serious crashes involving dirt bikes, and other similar vehicles, but police have been diligent in educating the public since many area communities have. That changed early Sunday in Huntley when a 19-year-old man was seriously injured after his dirt bike collided with a pickup truck at Haligus and Reed roads, according to a news release from the Huntley Police Department.

Authorities determined the electric off-road dirt bike was not authorized, under Illinois law, to drive on a public roadway and did not have mandatory "visibility equipment," including a white front headlight and a red rear reflector/light. The driver also was not wearing a helmet.

"It is believed these factors were major contributors to both the crash and the severity of the injuries sustained by the operator," police said in the news release. "The Huntley Police Department urges parents and guardians of children and young adults who use any electric motorized vehicles to review all applicable state and local laws, as well as basic safety guidelines."

Information on rules regarding electric motorized vehicles in Huntley can be found here. Meanwhile, state laws regarding all-terrain vehicles and off-road motorcycles can be found here. Rules of the road for bicycles can be found here.

Keane said the Huntley Police Department will continue to work to educate the public on the "safety and legality of these devices."

The collision in Huntley comes weeks after a 53-year-old man was ejected from his electric scooter while heading south in the 5000 block of South Wildwood Drive in unincorporated McHenry County at about 10 a.m. May 24, according to authorities.

• Coroner IDs Man Killed In Electric Scooter Crash

At the time, authorities said it was unclear why he was thrown from the motorized scooter. The man, who was later identified as Bruce Neiswanger, of McHenry, was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Patch.com has reached out to the McHenry County Sheriff's Office for more information regarding this collision but has not yet heard back.