E-bikes can be powerful: how riders can stay safe and avoid crashes

E-bikes’ speed can raise the stakes for riders and pedestrians, and lawmakers and health experts say rules vary widely

Electric bikes can move quickly enough to turn routine rides into serious crashes when riders and pedestrians share sidewalks and paths, Associated Press reported in a safety guide published March 29. The report centered on Janet Stotko’s experience in Minnesota, where she said she was left unconscious and bleeding after being hit by a 14-year-old riding an electric bicycle at an estimated 25 mph during her evening walk.

According to the Associated Press report, Stotko survived a crash in 2024 that nearly killed her. She was rushed to a hospital with severe brain injuries, a facial fracture and a broken eardrum, then was on a ventilator for two days. The report said she spent three weeks in the hospital and underwent brain surgery, and that doctors were surprised she recovered enough to be alive at a follow-up visit.

The Associated Press report also said that, at a checkup, Stotko was told, “Wow, we can’t believe you’re here.” Now, the report said, she is urging stricter laws governing e-bikes so that other people will not be hurt.

The safety guidance pointed to mounting injury concerns as e-bike use grows. The report cited a University of California, San Francisco study that found rider injuries from e-bikes nearly doubled each year from 2017 to 2022, and it cited a University of California, San Diego study showing injuries in San Diego among e-bike riders under 18 rose 300% from 2019 to 2023.

Under federal law, the Associated Press report said most e-bikes are treated as nonmotorized vehicles like traditional bicycles, meaning riders typically do not need a driver’s license or insurance and may not be required to wear helmets. It added that state rules are different in many places, and officials in multiple jurisdictions are taking action while health experts have called for new laws and better enforcement.

Where the crash risk can rise: speed, classification and local limits

The Associated Press reported that many states categorize e-bikes into three classes. It said Class 1 e-bikes have motors that kick in while riders pedal, with maximum speeds of 20 mph; Class 2 e-bikes include throttles that reach the 20 mph maximum without pedaling; and Class 3 provides pedal-assist up to 28 mph.

The report also noted that some higher-speed e-bikes, sometimes called “e-motos,” can reach 40 mph even without pedaling. It said some states treat those faster bikes like motorcycles, meaning they are not allowed on sidewalks or paths, while in other places the fastest versions may not be covered by specific rules.

The report quoted John Maa, a general surgeon at MarinHealth Medical Center in Northern California, on the link between speed and injury. Maa said, “It’s Newton’s principles, right? Force equals mass times acceleration, and also kinetic energy is mass times velocity squared,” arguing that increased speeds make crashes more severe.

Because laws and limits change quickly, the report said riders need to learn what applies where they live. It cited New York City’s October move to impose a 15 mph speed limit on all electric bikes and Florida lawmakers’ bill limiting e-bike speeds to 10 mph within 50 feet of pedestrians. It also said an October Connecticut law requires e-bike riders to wear helmets, and that bikes without pedals with batteries over 750 watts will require a driver’s license.

Christine Cohen, a Connecticut state senator who backed the helmet rule, said lawmakers were hearing concerns from manufacturers and riders as well as from “concerned citizens trying to share the road with these new electric bikes and e-scooters,” and from law enforcement that “really needed some clear policies set into place,” according to the report.

What riders can do: understand the bike, wear protection, and avoid risky changes

Beyond legal speed and helmet requirements, the Associated Press report urged riders to understand the specific capabilities of their bikes. It said the market includes vehicles that blur the line between an e-bike and something closer to a motorcycle, and manufacturers do not always make the distinctions clear.

To understand where a bike can legally be ridden, the report said riders should check top speed and motor wattage and whether the bike requires pedaling or operates on throttle alone. It added that vehicles outside the three-class system could face motor vehicle regulations, potentially making them illegal on shared-use paths where slower e-bikes are allowed.

The report quoted Charles DiMaggio, an injury public health researcher and professor at New York University’s medical school, saying, “The first thing we always tell people is familiarize yourself, read the manual, look at some videos, look at your specific model.” The guidance also suggested that buying from a local bike shop can help riders ask questions and take a test ride rather than relying only on online listings.

The Associated Press report pointed to safety guidance from hospitals and medical groups including the American College of Surgeons and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. It said those organizations stressed helmet use and recommended other steps such as 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. It also said experts advised against altering an e-bike to make it faster.

Maa added additional advice for protection and family preparation. The report said he urged riders to consider wearing a motorcycle helmet that covers the neck to protect against spinal injuries, and he told parents to make sure their children can comfortably ride a pedal bike before they move to e-bikes. He said, “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.”

Stotko’s push for accountability and local rules after her crash

The Associated Press report said Stotko told officials in her community of Hastings, Minnesota, about her crash to press for a stricter ordinance. The report said the city agreed to reduce maximum e-bike speeds to 15 mph on city trails, prohibit e-bikes on sidewalks, and impose penalties.

According to the report, 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. The report ended by quoting Stotko saying, “It’s really about taking accountability and ownership of owning an e-bike and operating one.”