REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE AGAINST THE POWERFUL

E-BIKE INJURIES

A recent study led by Charles DiMaggio and published in Injury Prevention shows a national trend toward declining pedal bike injuries. However, DiMaggio's research also illustrates a spike in e-bike injuries. While the study's data doesn't indicate why e-bike injuries are on the rise, DiMaggio himself suggests that the increased speed is likely a factor. It's a logical conclusion to make. Typically pedal bikes top off at ten miles per hour. Compare that to a Class I or II electric bike where the engine tops out at 20 miles per hour. That's double the speed of a traditional pedal bicycle. A Class III electric bike is even faster, topping out at around twenty-eight miles per hour. More speed means more convenience for the consumer. Unfortunately, faster e-bikes increase the risk of injuries and the odds of requiring hospitalization. In an interview with KCAL9, Dr. Tetsuya Takeuchi, a trauma director at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, California, compares electric bike injuries more to a motorcycle crash than typical bike accidents. DiMaggio agrees, concluding, "We know that e-bikes can go faster than traditional pedal cycles," DiMaggio says. "And we know that speed often results in more severe injuries.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY

In San Diego County, teachers have resigned themselves to the new reality of students riding e-bikes to school. Currently, the State of California does not require licenses to ride e-bikes. Nor does the state necessitate e-bike riders to be insured. While a rider must be at least 16 years old to legally ride a Class III e-bike, there are no age requirements for Class I and II e-bikes. The lack of age restrictions makes e-bikes especially appealing to school-age children. While students view e-bikes as a mode of transportation and freedom from their parents, teachers and staff have a growing safety concern. After all, the lack of regulations often translates into a lack of education. Students who ride e-bikes are often not aware of the rules of the road, which can cause severe accidents. For one San Diego County school, safety is the number one priority. Faculty saw such a staggering increase in students riding e-bikes this year that they made a mandatory e-bike safety class.