By Eva Briggs, MD
A few weeks ago, I went to what turned out to be my most expensive guitar lesson ever.
I parked my car on a 30-mph street in a legally marked parking spot. About 30 minutes later, we heard sirens and saw flashing lights. We went outside to investigate. Someone on an e-bike had slammed into the rear of my car.
The collision smashed my rear windshield, destroyed my bicycle rack and dented the rear hatch causing more than $6,500 worth of damage. The e-bike driver did not fare too well, as she was taken via ambulance to the emergency room. The police eventually tossed her wrecked e-bike into the back of a pickup truck and hauled it away.
From 2017 to 2022 (the most recent year for which I could find data) e-bike injuries increased by a factor of 30 — and hospitalizations were 43 times as likely. In New York City, 17 people died from e-bike injuries in 2024.
E-bikes are appealing as they offer an easy, relatively inexpensive form of transportation. They require no license, registration or insurance. This makes them accessible to many people who can’t afford a car or want to save on gas. When police observe an e-bike driving dangerously or erratically, it can be difficult to safely pull them over. With no license plate, they can’t track down an unsafe driver.
E-bikes are categorized in three classes. Class 1 e-bikes provide pedal-assist only, with a maximum speed of 20 mph and no throttle. Class 2 e-bikes offer pedal-assist as well as a throttle that can propel the bike up to 20 mph without pedaling. Class 3 e-bikes provide pedal-assist only but can reach speeds up to 28 mph.
In New York state, e-bikes can be operated on roads with a posted speed limit of 30 mph or less. Municipalities can further regulate the time, place and manner of operation. They cannot be driven on the sidewalk unless allowed by local law. You must be at least 16 years old to operate an e-bike. Class 3 e-bikes are only allowed in New York City. E-bikes are not allowed on public lands such as parks or multi-use trails unless allowed by local law.
While helmets are not required, they are important for operator safety. Head injuries are almost 50 times more common for e-bike riders than for bicycles. Striking your head on pavement, another vehicle or other hard object can cause concussions and severe traumatic brain injury. Bicycle helmets certified by the Consumer Product Safety Committee protect riders up to speeds of 20 mph. Anyone riding at a speed in excess of 20 mph should wear a Department of Transportation-certified helmet.
Fractures and contusions are the most common e-bike injuries. One alarming finding is that complex patella (kneecap) fractures that were once rare in children are becoming much more common due to e-bike accidents. Other significant injuries include damage to the neck, spine or internal organs.
It’s not just e-bike operators who can be injured. Pedestrians and bicycle riders are at risk of being struck.
Even riskier are modified e-bikes capable of traveling at higher speeds. High speed collisions, brake failure and fires from incompatible batteries all multiply the chance for catastrophe.
Improved regulation is one step toward increasing e-bike safety. But common sense, awareness, education, caution and oversight of teens by responsible adults will probably be the most important factors in reducing e-bike injuries.
Eva Briggs is a retired medical doctor who practiced in Central New York for several decades. She lives in Marcellus.