“A Dangerous Combination”: Teenagers Experiencing Fatal Accidents on E-Bikes

There have been a shocking number of teen victims of e-bike accidents of late, calling attention to a serious public health and safety issue that needs to be addressed. Even though a number of these e-bikes have maximum speeds built in of 20 mph, given that they are used on busy roads with 55 mph limits in some cases, they can be hit by cars and thrown violently, which happened to one young teen recently. Even though he was wearing a bike helmet, he sustained violent head injuries, and died from the accident.

Sadly, these incidents aren’t unique at all; In fact, they appear to be happening quite frequently in cities and states around the country, including here in Las Vegas. Three days after this young man’s death, yet another teenager was taken to the hospital after the e-bike he was riding collided with a car.

Declaring A State of Emergency

In spite of the recent boom of the e-bike industry, some cities around the country have declared a state of emergency for their safety, with a number of questions surrounding just how safe they are – especially for teenagers, their most popular customers – have surfaced. Many now claim that some of these e-bike companies are knowingly selling products that evade speed limits and place young riders at risk: For example, although the law (including here in Nevada) is that e-bikes cannot be ridden at speeds faster than 20 mph, a number of these bikes have specifically been built to exceed that limit, and travel up to 70 mph. In addition, clearly, even when driven more slowly (at legal speeds), there are a number of safety concerns, as they merge in with complex traffic, including fast-moving cars and, at times, distracted drivers.

A Regulatory Headache

Indeed, e-bikes do not seem to belong anywhere: They are too fast for sidewalks, but too slow for vehicle traffic. Sadly, they represent yet another example of technology outpacing the law’s ability to keep up, and, as a result, the public simply does not have access to the safety guidelines and regulations needed in order to ensure that this equipment doesn’t pose a danger.

In fact, certain key agencies, such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, haven’t even gotten around to regulating e-bikes yet, and are still “evaluating how best to oversee [their] safety.”  Where there are applicable laws at the state and/or city levels, most-all  treat e-bikes the same as bicycles, which they are not. This includes the state of Nevada, which applies the same rules of the road to both e-bikes and human-powered bicycles: E-bikes are allowed on bike paths but not on sidewalks, however, there is no age minimum for their riders.

If There Has Been An Accident, Contact Our Las Vegas Injury Attorneys

If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident here in Las Vegas, it is imperative that you speak with an experienced personal injury attorney right away in order to ensure that your rights are protected, an investigation is done, and you ensure that you and your family are protected in every way, including in terms of medical expenses and your future.

Cameron Law dedicates itself to helping accident victims in Las Vegas and surrounding areas recover compensation for their injuries for any negligence committed by those causing the accident. Contact us today to find out more.

Sources:

nytimes.com/2023/07/29/health/ebikes-safety-teens.html

wsd-pfb-sparkinfluence.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/05/E-Bike-Law-Handouts_NV_2020.pdf