In 2020, the City Council moved quickly to legalize electric mobility devices, such as electric bikes and scooters, without waiting for state-level regulations.
The idea at the time was to introduce modern transportation to the city's downtown area.
Almost five years later, we are living with the effects of that hasty action: rising injuries, deaths, and a sharp rise in reckless rider behavior.
Pedestrians and riders themselves are also harmed by the lack of monitoring.
Additionally, these devices contribute to a troubling number of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries.
It's time to take action. This is exactly what Priscilla's Law aims to do.
The tragic death in 2023 of Chinatown advocate and longtime resident Priscilla Rourke is a poignant reminder of why this law is needed.
Rourke was struck and killed by the driver of an electric bicycle, who then fled the scene of the accident.
This is not an isolated incident, but just one in a growing trend of fatal crashes involving e-mobility devices.
Many of the passengers work under pressure from food delivery apps, speeding, breaking traffic laws and ignoring basic safety precautions, which can lead to accidents. They often run away from the scene.
This reckless behavior is putting lives at risk.
According to a report by state Rep. Alex Boaz, e-bike crashes and injuries occur twice as often as accidents involving traditional bicycles.
Dr. Boas found that e-bikes are 19 times more dangerous than regular bicycles.
From 2020 to 2023, New York City recorded a total of 2,254 e-bike-related crashes, resulting in 2,172 injuries and 22 fatalities.
Fires caused by uncertified e-bike batteries are also on the rise.
Since 2019, lithium-ion batteries have caused more than 730 fires, killing 30 New Yorkers and injuring nearly 500.
Despite these growing risks, safer road advocacy group Transportation Alternatives (TransAlt) actively opposes any regulations that increase passenger responsibility.
Their position, cloaked in the name of protecting New Yorkers from “costly” and “harmful” bills, is not only misguided, but hypocritical.
TransAlt receives hundreds of thousands of dollars from companies that have a direct financial interest in keeping these e-mobility devices unregulated, including Lyft, Uber, Lime, and DoorDash. All of these are benefiting from the proliferation of electric bikes and scooters.
The group's opposition to Priscilla's Law makes clear that the law prioritizes the interests of private companies over the safety and well-being of everyday New Yorkers.
The argument of Priscilla's Law is simple. “We need to hold these riders accountable.”
The bill would require all e-mobility devices to be registered with the city's Department of Transportation, cooperate in eliminating uncertified batteries, and carry a license plate. This simple measure will ensure that riders comply with traffic laws.
We have already seen how effective license plates are in deterring dangerous behavior.
In the five months since Albany tightened its moped registration rules, I have noticed a marked improvement in the behavior of moped riders who now obey traffic lights because their license plates are visible.
The same can and should apply to electric bikes.
In fact, the city already uses license plates as an accountability tool for other industries.
The Business Integrity Commission requires civilian carters to display orange license plates, and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection requires license plates on food carts.
These systems prove that cities are capable of implementing similar requirements for e-mobility devices. It has been done and could be done.
If a rider runs a red light or hits a pedestrian while riding on the sidewalk, street cameras capture the license plate so law enforcement can identify the perpetrator and identify the reckless rider's actions. It becomes possible to pursue responsibility.
Bottom line: License plates ensure that those who break traffic laws cannot escape.
But it doesn't just put the onus on the rider. It also makes the companies that rent these devices accountable to their users.
Delivery services that benefit from the proliferation of e-mobility vehicles, such as Uber Eats and Grubhub, must educate their passengers about traffic laws and the risks associated with using these devices.
Companies must be held accountable for passengers who repeatedly violate the rules.
If a passenger is caught violating traffic laws, these companies will be required to de-platform the passenger, just as they would for any other serious violation.
Priscilla's Law is a simple and effective step to bring order to chaotic streets.
Requiring the registration and licensing of e-mobility devices will create a safer environment for all road users, including cyclists, drivers and pedestrians.
This bill is a vital tool in the fight for accountability and safety on our streets.
Leave it to Priscilla Rourke.
City Councilman Robert Holden (D) represents the 30th District in Queens.
