E-bikes are everywhere on the South Fork. They are a popular, inexpensive way of getting around for people in the work force and give kids too young to drive an expanded sense of freedom. But they are also dangerous, especially to riders, but for pedestrians and passengers as well.
In the years since e-bike popularity spiked during the pandemic, emergency rooms have seen ever-increasing rates of serious injuries and deaths. A lot of the risk comes from e-bikes' speed; even basic models can approach 20 miles per hour, with the more powerful models able to reach close to 30 m.p.h. or more. Around the world, medical studies have found that e-bike riders are more likely to sustain fatal injuries than standard pedal bicyclists in collisions with motor vehicles. Young people are especially vulnerable; a recent review found that 35 percent of serious e-bike injuries were among riders under 18. Head and neck injuries were especially notable. In 2023, of the 30 people killed in New York City on a bicycle, 23 were riding e-bikes.
The responsibility for staying safe obviously belongs, for the most part, to riders — and parents in the case of young riders. But people in cars and public officials need also to be aware of the risks and take steps to lessen them. For the most part, this has not happened. For example, new roundabouts are not being designed with two-wheel traffic in mind, forcing riders to squeeze between vehicles and curbs. Here on the East End, especially, the lack of bike lanes makes things worse.
People on e-bikes often ride on sidewalks, and kids do dumb things, like pack passengers onto e-bikes designed for one rider alone.
At least it seems kids think it is cool to ride with full-head, motorcycle-style helmets, but they also should be encouraged to wear reflective clothing, especially if they ride at twilight or after dark. Better headlights and taillights should be adopted, and turn signals should be added to these bikes, too. State-level helmet laws and age restrictions should be revisited, as well as rules against modifying motors to eliminate speed-limiting technology. Local governments and schools should adopt safety education campaigns.
And, as important, if not more so, vehicle drivers need to keep an eye out for e-bikes, slow down, and give them as wide a berth as possible.