An event targeting students and parents – Saugus Town and School officials collaborate on E-Bike Safety Forum at Town Hall next Thursday night

By Mark E. Vogler

It’s become a growing fear that haunts residents and town officials: A kid on an e-bike speeds into the path of a car or mows down a walker on the town’s rail trail – both with fatal results.

“I don’t want to wait til one of our kids gets killed,” Selectman Jeffrey Cicolini said during a meeting last November.

A few weeks later, during an interview, Selectman Anthony Cogliano suggested it is only a matter of time before the tragedy that struck an area community hit home in Saugus. “As someone who uses the rail trail on a daily basis, I’m amazed no one has been killed flying through the intersections without even thinking about stopping,” Cogliano said.

Cicolini and Cogliano are among a group of town and school officials and citizens who have been brainstorming on a multitude of ways to protect Saugus residents – particularly young people – from the potential dangers of e-bikes like the tragic accident that happened in Stoneham last fall when a 13-year-old boy suffered fatal injuries when he drove his electric dirt bike into a car. Those discussions have evolved into an E-Bike Safety Forum, set for 7 p.m. next Thursday (Feb. 5) in the second floor auditorium at Town Hall.

“This forum is in response to resident concerns about the safety issues surrounding e-bikes,” states a flyer that’s been circulating to promote the event.

“We hope that students will attend with their parents,” it continues.

Selectman Cicolini, who has worked closely with Board of Selectmen Chair Debra Panetta in organizing the forum, said as many segments of the community as possible have become involved. “Our state delegation will be there and Senator Crighton will give an update on the status of the legislation within the state,” Cicolini said.

“The Police Department will speak on the plan to enhance public safety as well as members within the School Department and School Committee. I am so happy that we are taking steps proactively to deal with this issue and involving the entire community in doing so. This will be a town wide effort to make it effective,” he said.

The list of speakers includes:

• Metro North/North Shore Outreach Coordinator Deborah Kreithen from Massachusetts Safe Routes to School, a program of MassDOT
• Saugus Police Chief Michael Ricciardelli
• Kara Oberg, representing The Ride Cafe in Melrose
• Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn) will discuss what’s being done at the state level. Other members of the Saugus legislative delegation – State Rep. Donald Wong (R-Saugus) and State Rep. Jessica Giannino (D-Revere) – are also expected to attend the forum.
• Members of the Board of Selectmen
• Members of the School Committee and the school community. Panetta said she expects that Saugus Middle-High School Principal Carla Scuzzarella and School Committee Chair Thomas Whittredge are going to speak.
• Several Town Meeting members who have been vocal on the issue are expected to speak – Precinct 2 Town Meeting Member Robert J. Camuso, Sr. and Precinct 1 Town Meeting Member Mark J. Bell.

“Everyone is welcome to come and ask questions, the flyer said.

Board of Selectmen Chair Panetta said that scheduling the forum was influenced in part by last fall’s political campaign for the five Board of Selectmen seats. “During the Selectmen’s Candidates’ night last Fall, numerous questions arose regarding the safety and regulation of e-bikes and scooters,” Panetta told The Saugus Advocate.

“These discussions highlighted significant public concerns about the safety of not only the riders themselves but also the pedestrians who could be injured by an e-bike, along with the risks for drivers of cars who may need to swerve to avoid collisions. This dialogue emphasized the importance of addressing this issue for our Saugus residents which is why our Town is hosting this all-important forum,” she said. “We need to be proactive when dealing with this important safety issue. The tragic accident that happened in Stoneham last November with an electric dirt bike has raised significant concerns about e-bike safety regulations.”

“We have a great line-up of professionals to discuss all aspects of e-bikes / scooters. Deborah Kreithen, of MA Safe Routes to School-A Program of MassDOT will talk about safety and the need to wear helmets,” she said.

“This is important since most students riding e-bikes to school were not wearing helmets. We have Police Chief Ricciardelli who will discuss what our Police have been doing about the e-bike situation and future plans of action. Kara Oberg is from the Ride Cafe in Melrose, and she will discuss e-bike definitions in MA. Senator Brendan Crighton will discuss what is being done at the State House to help with the e-bike issues. Carla Scuzzarella, High School Associate Principal, will be discussing what the schools are doing about this issue.”