Safety First Urged When Riding ‘Pocket Bikes’

By Celina Avila

LOCAL REPORTS — A fatal crash this past weekend involved a woman operating a miniature motorcycle, with her three-year-old son riding along as a passenger. It happened Sunday in Fabens, along the 800 block of Main Street.

Investigators said the vehicle, known as a “pocket bike,” isn’t approved for street travel — it’s strictly intended for off-road recreational use.

ABC 7 researched this vehicle and found it sells very well in the local area.

“They’re fun bikes, but they’re very dangerous,” said Gilbert Reza, the manager of a local Pep Boys store. Reza said the chiefdrawback is that the operator of a pocket bike can’t easily be seen by other motorists if it’s taken on the road.

“If you look at the visibility of a car, it’s about three to four feet high,”he said. “Once you’re sitting on one of these bikes you’re going to be sitting very low, at about a two-foot level.”

In the fatal crash, 23-year-old Karla Tovar maneuvered her bike into opposing traffic and collided head-on with an SUV. She and her son were dragged about 55 feet before the SUV came to a stop. Tovar died while being treated at Thomason Hospital. Her son was also receiving medical care there for potential life-threatening injuries, and was listed in critical condition as of Sunday evening.

Reza said anyone who is interested in operating any kind of motorcycle should wear reflective and protective gear, including a helmet and body pads.