As electric-bike usage has risen, so have e-bike injuries, and regulations in cities and states throughout the country are rapidly changing. Federal law classifies most e-bikes as nonmotorized vehicles, but many states have adopted stricter rules and a three-tier system to classify e-bikes by power and speed.
Yemen’s Houthis claim responsibility for missile attacks on Israel as war in Middle East intensifiesThe Afternoon WireWhat to know about Trump's order to pay TSA officers and its impact on airport security linesLeBron passes to Bronny for a 3-pointer and the NBA's first father-son assist, league saysAP Entertainment WireA red fox stows away on a cargo ship, traveling from England to the USWorries about flying seem to be taking off.
Here's how to cope with in-flight anxietyAt Middle Creek, timing and distance shape a photo of migrating geeseThe World in PicturesUganda reintroduces rhinos into a protected area where they have been extinct since 1983Dietary supplement makers push the FDA to allow peptides and other new ingredients'Worst in Show' CES products include AI refrigerators, AI companions and AI doorbellsAt Pentagon Christian service, Hegseth prays for violence 'against those who deserve no mercy'Industria del cangrejo de río de Luisiana sufre por escasez de trabajadores extranjeros Here's how to cope with in-flight anxietyAt Middle Creek, timing and distance shape a photo of migrating geeseThe World in PicturesUganda reintroduces rhinos into a protected area where they have been extinct since 1983Dietary supplement makers push the FDA to allow peptides and other new ingredients'Worst in Show' CES products include AI refrigerators, AI companions and AI doorbellsAt Pentagon Christian service, Hegseth prays for violence 'against those who deserve no mercy'Industria del cangrejo de río de Luisiana sufre por escasez de trabajadores extranjerosSIOUX FALLS, S.D. — The 14-year-old was riding an electric bicycle at an estimated 25 mph when he slammed into Janet Stotko during her evening walk, leaving her unconscious and bleeding on a sidewalk in her Minnesota neighborhood. The 2024 crash nearly killed Stotko, who was raced to a hospital with severe brain injuries, a facial fracture and broken eardrum. But after being on a ventilator for two days, spending three weeks in the hospital and enduring brain surgery, she survived, surprising even her doctors.Now, she’s pushing for stricter laws regulating e-bikes in hopes that others won’t be hurt.found that rider injuries from e-bikes nearly doubled each year from 2017 to 2022, and a University of California, San Diegojust like traditional bicycles, so riders don’t need a driver’s license or insurance and they don’t have to wear a helmet. But many states have more stringent rules, and regulations vary widely.Here’s what e-bikers should know to keep themselves and people around them safe. Many states have adopted a three-tier classification of e-bikes: Class 1 have motors that kick in while riders pedal with maximum speeds of 20 mph; Class 2 have throttles that reach the 20 mph maximum without pedaling; and Class 3 provide pedal-assist up to 28 mph. There are faster versions available, sometimes called e-motos, that can reach 40 mph even without pedaling. Many states treat these bikes like motorcycles, so they’re not allowed on sidewalks or paths, but in some states there are no specific rules for the ultra-fast bikes. As John Maa, a general surgeon at MarinHealth Medical Center in Northern California, notes, it’s basic math that increased speeds lead to increased injuries. “It’s Newton’s principles, right? Force equals mass times acceleration, and also kinetic energy is mass times velocity squared,” Maa said.Speed limits, helmet requirements and other rules for e-bikes are changing rapidly, and what’s legal in one city or state might be illegal in the next. New York City imposed a speed limit of 15 mph on all electric bikes in October, and Florida lawmakers recently sent the governor a bill limiting e-bike speeds to 10 mph within 50 feet of pedestrians. In Connecticut, an October law requires all e-bike riders to wear a helmet, and bikes without pedals equipped with batteries over 750 watts will require a driver’s license. “We were not only hearing from manufacturers and riders, but we were hearing from concerned citizens trying to share the road with these new electric bikes and e-scooters, and also law enforcement who really needed some clear policies set into place,” said Christine Cohen, the Connecticut state senator behind the legislation.The market is full of vehicles that blur the line between a traditional e-bike and something closer to a motorcycle, and manufacturers don’t always make the distinction easy to spot. To understand a bike’s capabilities and where it can be legally ridden, check its top speed, motor wattage, and whether it requires pedaling or operates on throttle alone. Anything outside the three-class classification could be subject to motor vehicle regulations, making it illegal to ride on some shared-use paths where slower e-bikes are allowed. “The first thing we always tell people is familiarize yourself, read the manual, look at some videos, look at your specific model,” said Charles DiMaggio, an injury public health researcher and professor at New York University’s medical school. Going to a local bike shop instead of buying online can help, enabling riders to ask questions, take a test ride and learn what’s legal and what isn’t.Hospitals and medical groups like the American College of Surgeons and American Association of Neurological Surgeons have called for stricter policies and offered safety tips. Above all, they stress wearing a helmet. Other tips include riding defensively around cars, using front and rear lights, wearing reflective vests in the dark, and avoiding biking under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Experts also recommend against altering an e-bike to make it faster. Maa added that e-bike riders should consider wearing a motorcycle helmet that covers the neck to protect against spinal injuries. He also advises parents to make sure their children can comfortably ride a pedal bike before they graduate to e-bikes. “Make sure they’re comfortable, they understand the rules of the road, they’re able to navigate turns, understand the flow of traffic, the use of bicycle lanes,” Maa said.After she was injured, Stotko told the city council in her community of Hastings, Minnesota, about her crash to push for a stricter ordinance. The city agreed, reducing maximum e-bike speeds to 15 mph on city trails, prohibiting e-bikes on sidewalks and imposing penalties. City police issued a citation to the 14-year-old rider for operating an e-bike underage, but no one was charged for the injury to Stotko.Yemen’s Houthis claim responsibility for missile attacks on Israel as war in Middle East intensifies
General News CT State Wire MN State Wire Minnesota Florida New York City FL State Wire California Be Well Road Safety Crime Health Lifestyle Janet Stotko U.S. News Government Regulations Christine Cohen Industry Regulation U.S. News
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
US federal judge temporarily blocks Pentagon's Anthropic banThe most recent news about crypto industry at Cointelegraph. Latest news about bitcoin, ethereum, blockchain, mining, cryptocurrency prices and more
Read more »
Federal Judge Allows Retaliatory Arrest Lawsuit to Proceed Against Escambia County OfficialsA federal judge has permitted significant portions of a lawsuit alleging retaliatory arrests by Escambia County's district attorney and sheriff to continue, while dismissing certain claims due to prosecutorial immunity. The lawsuit stems from a school board dispute and involves allegations of targeted arrests, phone seizures, and political retaliation against school board members and an employee.
Read more »
Walters: Medi-Cal faces funding emergency from state miscalculations, federal budget cuts‘The costs of providing Medi-Cal’s promised services have outpaced spending in the overall budget, according to a new report.’
Read more »
As fuel prices rise, US lawmakers push to suspend the federal gas taxAs gas prices approach $4 a gallon nationally amid the conflict in Iran, some lawmakers are pushing to suspend the federal gasoline tax.
Read more »
State leaders call for $80 million in public media funding in response to federal cutsAssemblymember Chris Ward, D-San Diego, is leading an effort to get California to fund ailing public media stations in this year’s state budget.
Read more »
Judge dismisses federal lawsuit over Minnesota in-state tuition for students without legal statusA federal judge says Minnesota public universities can keep offering in-state tuition and some scholarships to certain students without legal status.
Read more »