Dangers of E-Bikes

Rise in accidents, fatalities trigger a call for new safety regulations

E-bike fatalities have surged in recent years, with 193 deaths reported in the U.S. from 2017 to 2023, highlighting the growing safety concerns associated with these vehicles.

This translates to an average of approximately 27.6 deaths per year. A significant increase in fatalities has been observed, particularly from 2018 to 2022, where 104 fatalities were recorded, with a notable rise in deaths each year. This data comes primarily from two sources: NEISS (National Electric Injury Surveillance System), part of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and Consumer Shield, a class-action group that connects injured citizens with attorneys.

The leading cause of e-bike fatalities, according to NEISS and the U.S. CPSC, is motor vehicle accidents, accounting for about 55% of the deaths. Many e-bike riders are involved in collisions with cars, which often results in severe injuries or fatalities. Other causes include control issues (15%), such as crashing into fixed objects, and pedestrian accidents (7%), where e-bike riders either hit pedestrians or are struck by them. The Consumer Shield study indicated that 37% of e-bike crashes involve motor vehicles, emphasizing the traffic-related nature of many e-bike accidents.

The New York Times' morning newsletter honed in on these accidents and looked at the call for new regulations in an interview with David Darlington, a freelance journalist who wrote about the issue, in its November 30 edition. Darlington mentioned that illegal modifications to e-bikes are enabling many riders to go much faster than the current speed limit and contributing to the rise in accidents. Darlington told the Times: "The scariest are 'e-motos,' which look like mini-motorcycles and aren’t legal e-bikes at all. I profiled a high school student, Amelia Stafford, who went for a short ride on a friend’s e-moto and ended up with a traumatic brain injury. Pedestrians have been killed when speeding riders ran into them."

"That class of bike is supposed to stay on the road, though enforcement is practically nonexistent. The ones that go 20 m.p.h. are allowed in bike lanes, but even those are faster than “analog” bikes — and the motor can often be 'unlocked' to exceed those speeds, hitting 45 m.p.h. and more. Plus, e-bikes usually weigh more than 50 pounds. That’s a lot of inertia, even at a legal speed."

The popularity of e-bikes has surged, leading to increased usage and, consequently, more accidents. E-bike accidents rose from approximately 3,500 in 2017 to 34,200 in 2023. The demographic most affected by e-bike fatalities tends to be males aged 25-44, who accounted for a significant portion of the deaths during the analyzed period.

As e-bikes become more prevalent, there is an urgent need for improved safety measures, including better infrastructure for cyclists, awareness campaigns, and possibly regulations regarding speed limits and helmet use. Riders are encouraged to wear helmets and follow traffic rules to mitigate the risks associated with e-bike riding. Expect more standardized safety regulations to be rolled out in the near future.