Boston College Just Banned E-Scooters, Hoverboards, and E-Skateboards

Evan Castillo
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Updated on December 13, 2022
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Exemptions will be made for electric mobility devices for people with disabilities.
BOSTON - AUGUST 13: A man cruises on a motorized scooter along Commonwealth Avenue in Boston on Aug. 13, 2020. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)Credit: Image Credit: Jim Davis / The Boston Globe / Getty Images

  • E-scooters, hoverboards, and electric skateboards will be banned starting Dec. 22.
  • They are being banned over concerns of battery fires, injuries, and building accessibility.
  • Electronic mobility aids for people with disabilities and e-bicycles will still be permitted.

E-scooters are bolting their way off campus this winter at Boston College over campus safety concerns.

On Dec. 7, Boston College (BC) announced via a community letter that it is banning e-scooters and other devices like hoverboards and electric skateboards on campus. The letter encourages students to take advantage of winter break by taking these devices home or storing them off campus.

According to a press release, any of these devices found on campus after Dec. 22 will result in sanctions. The college said it has decided to ban these devices for the health and safety of its students and community.

E-bicycles will still be allowed on campus, as well as any electronic mobility aids for people with disabilities.

“In recent weeks, Boston College administrators have become increasingly concerned about the use of e-scooters and other electric transportation devices on campus, especially regarding the health and personal safety of riders, pedestrians, and building occupants,” the administrators said in the letter.

BC said it was concerned over national reports of near-collisions, building accessibility, and lithium battery fires while charging. BC also said multiple students had sustained injuries from falling off them.

In October, CNN reported San José State University first-year football player Camdan McWright died in an electric scooter accident.

Boston College isn’t the only institution concerned about the safety of electric transportation devices on campus. Recently, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill also issued a statement warning electric scooter riders to follow posted rules.