By: Grace Liu
On June 22, Brodee Champlain Kingman was riding on his e-bike when he was hit by a van and killed. And, three days later, another teenage boy was taken to the same hospital in California as Brodee after his e-bike collided with a car.
Increasingly frequently, in the U.S., U.S. teenagers are getting into e-bike accidents. The e-bike industry has been thriving, but there are safety risks, especially for younger riders.
E-bikes have been booming, but this summer, there have been many accidents that have questioned the safety of these bikes, especially for teenagers. Even when ridden at the 20 mile-per-hour legal speed, there can be risks.
“The speed they are going is too fast for sidewalks, but it’s too slow to be in traffic,” said Jeremy Collis, a sergeant at the North Coastal Station of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office. “It’s not like a bicycle,” Sergeant Collis said. “But the laws are treating it like any bicycle.”
According to a statement by the highway safety agency, two agencies, the Consumer product Safety Commision and the National Highway Safety Administration, are currently evaluating how to make sure that e-bikes were being used safely.
Sheila Miller, spokeswoman for the Bend police in Oregon, emphasized that not everything that calls itself an e-bike qualifies as one, or is safe or legal for minors. Under Oregon law, a person must be at least 16 to ride an e-bike.
“Parents, please don’t buy these bikes for kids when they are not legally allowed to ride them,” Miller said. “And if you own an e-bike, make sure that everyone who is using them knows the rules of the road.”
E-bikes have become very popular. John MacArthur, an e-bike industry expert, estimated that roughly one million e-bikes would be sold in the United States this year.
Super73, an e-bike company, advertises “Ride Without Restrictions.” Riders don’t need a license, registration, or insurance.
Law enforcement officials have begun to express concerns about the minimal training teenage e-bike owners need. Car drivers ages 16 to 19 are three times as likely to be killed in a crash as drivers 20 years or older. Also, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, cyclists ages 10 to 24 have the highest rate of emergency room visits for crashes.
“I know the e-bike situation is evolving,” said Sergeant Collis, “But personally, with all these bikes, you should have at least a permit or a license to ride them at the speed they’re going.”
After Brodee passed away, many people were devastated and called for more regulation of e-bikes. “There should be more education for drivers with the change that’s happened,” said Brodee’s mom. “I’d never seen an e-bike on the road until three years ago. Now I see hundreds.”
Link to article: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/29/health/ebikes-safety-teens.html