Rising E-Bike Injuries Spark Debate on Safety Measures

The surge in traumatic injuries linked to e-bikes across the United States has garnered attention from various groups, including doctors, legislators, and pedestrians.

Concerns about reckless e-bike riding are widespread, but opinions on preventing accidents differ significantly among roadway safety advocates. A key point of contention is whether the focus should shift towards better infrastructure or stricter regulations on e-bikes.

“When considering e-bike crashes, it’s often cars and trucks that are at fault for injuring e-bike riders, rather than the other way around,” remarked Alexa Sledge, communications director for Transportation Alternatives, which aims to improve safety on New York’s streets.

However, not all incidents follow this trend. Roberta Simon’s experience highlights this disparity. In August 2024, she was struck by a teen on an e-bike while walking in Central Park. After waking up days later with severe injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, it took her six months to reclaim her daily routine. “I can’t stress enough how lucky I am,” she said.

Statistics from New York City reveal that 17 people lost their lives in e-bike related crashes in 2024. Nationwide, the trend is alarming. E-bike injuries rose from 1,600 in 2018 to 23,000 in 2022, as reported by a medical journal.

The e-bike market has seen explosive growth, with sales increasing from 50,000 units in 2018 to 527,000 in 2022. Projections suggest the industry’s worth will leap from about $4.4 billion in 2026 to over $6.2 billion by 2031.

Dr. Ashley Pfaff, a trauma surgeon at Bellevue Hospital, sees e-bike-related injuries daily. In Tampa Bay, Florida, at least 28 fatalities linked to e-bikes in the past five years prompted a local pediatric emergency room physician to note a shift in emergency medicine practices.

California has also seen a rise in e-bike accidents, with some towns near San Diego declaring states of emergency after fatal events. In New York City, injuries rose 41% in 2025 compared to the previous year, raising serious concerns about micromobility safety.

To tackle these issues, the NYC E-Vehicle Safety Alliance is backing legislation known as Priscilla’s Law, named after Priscilla Loke, who tragically died in an accident involving an e-bike. This law would mandate e-bike and e-scooter registration with the state’s motor vehicle department and require them to bear license plates. Proponents argue this would help enforce existing speed limits for e-bikes.

“Currently, police aren’t able to chase down bikes,” explained Janet Schroeder, co-founder of the NYC E-Vehicle Safety Alliance. “But if they have plates, traffic cameras could catch violators just like they do with cars.”

However, Transportation Alternatives opposes this legislation, saying it would necessitate creating a large new agency and may not effectively enhance safety. Sledge argued that such measures may not yield the desired outcomes.

On the other hand, Michelle Cruz supports Priscilla’s Law after losing her father to an e-biker accident. While she empathizes with the struggles of immigrant workers, she suggests that they could opt for non-motorized bikes instead.

Cruz expressed her frustration with e-bikers disregarding traffic laws, advocating for similar regulations as those for cars.

In a broader context, Toronto’s attempt to establish a bicycle registration system was halted due to concerns about unnecessary bureaucracy. Meanwhile, New Jersey has enacted a law requiring e-bikers to have licenses and to register their bikes, which some organizations, like People for Bikes, have criticized as overly restrictive.

Concerns about enforcement have been raised, including potential targeting of undocumented immigrants. Ligia Guallpa, co-founder of Los Deliveristas Unidos, suggested that laws should foster technological advancements for speed regulation rather than increase police presence in vulnerable communities.

Interestingly, under the previous administration, low-level traffic infractions had led to criminal summonses for e-bikers, a policy that has since been reversed.

The current administration is seeking ways to design streets that accommodate both e-bikes and pedestrians while also addressing unsafe delivery practices, which they link to urging fast deliveries.

“Traffic cameras don’t discriminate,” Schroeder concluded, emphasizing accountability whenever an e-biker leaves a victim grievously injured.