WASHINGTON (WOWO) — Electric bikes and scooters capable of reaching motorcycle-like speeds are fueling a nationwide push for tougher safety regulations as deadly crashes, rising injury rates and growing concerns about young riders expose gaps in state and local laws. A report published by the Indi ana Capital Chronicle, based on reporting by Stateline’s Anna Claire Vollers, details how lawmakers across the country are considering restrictions on vehicle speeds, minimum rider ages, helmet use, licensing, registration and where electric bikes and scooters can operate. The growing concern is that technology has advanced faster than the laws governing these vehicles. Some electric scooters can reach speeds of 55 miles per hour, while powerful electric bikes and aftermarket modifications increasingly blur the distinction between bicycles, scooters and motorcycles. Many existing regulations were developed when shared, low-speed electric scooters began appearing on city streets nearly a decade ago. Now, state lawmakers and local officials face pressure to respond to more powerful vehicles and a growing number of serious crashes. Earlier this month, 50-year-old Talib Shakir, who worked in the office of Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser, died after his personal electric scooter collided with a woman riding a scooter through a rideshare service. Police said neither rider was wearing a helmet and Shakir’s scooter could reach speeds of up to 55 miles per hour. Days after the collision, Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department launched a street-safety initiative focused on educating electric-bike and scooter riders about safe riding practices. The crash followed several other fatal incidents involving electric transportation devices. In June, a 12-year-old girl in Haverhill, Massachusetts, died after her electric scooter collided with a school bus. An Atlanta woman died in April after her electric bicycle struck a curb, throwing her headfirst into a wall. Other deadly crashes have included an Atlanta-area teenager whose electric scooter collided with a tractor-trailer and a 13-year-old girl in Oregon who was killed last month when a van struck her scooter in a hit-and-run. In New York City, at least 28 people riding electric devices had died in crashes by September 30, according to reporting cited by Stateline. That was the highest total recorded by that point in a year, adding pressure on local leaders to consider tighter regulations. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey proposed legislation in May to establish statewide safety standards and other rules for electric bicycles and scooters. The proposal remains in committee. Healey described the existing laws governing the vehicles as “unclear and inconsistent,” warning that reckless riding and an increase in crashes were putting pedestrians and younger riders at risk. “We are seeing too much reckless behavior, more crashes and close calls,” Healey said. “And too many people, especially pedestrians and young riders, are at risk.” Federal safety officials have also documented the growing problem. A report released earlier this year by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission found that fatalities involving electric bicycles and scooters had been steadily increasing. Consumer Reports raised additional concerns in August after testing 13 electric scooters. The nonprofit said it did not recommend any of the models it tested, citing high speeds and increasing injuries. Children are a particular focus of the safety debate, as researchers find that younger riders account for a substantial share of electric-scooter injuries. Researchers at Johns Hopkins found that nearly half of the electric-scooter injuries involving children in their study period from 2020 through 2024 occurred in 2024. Dr. Mary Beth Howard, a pediatric emergency medicine specialist at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and the study’s author, said the findings raised concerns about whether safety policies were keeping pace with the growing popularity of electric scooters. “That was striking,” Howard said. “And, for us, it raises questions about safety policies keeping pace with the growth in e-scooter use.” Children between the ages of 11 and 14 were among the most vulnerable. Researchers found that nearly one in four electric-scooter injuries in recent years involved children in that age group. Howard said the risks stem partly from greater access to electric scooters while younger teenagers are still developing the motor skills and judgment needed to navigate traffic safely. They also lack the driving experience that can help older teens and adults recognize hazards and manage speed around other vehicles. “That creates the perfect storm for that 11 to 14 or early adolescent group being at incredibly high risk for injuries from e-scooters,” Howard said. The injuries can be severe. The Johns Hopkins researchers found that one in 10 children injured while riding electric scooters required hospitalization. “That’s important for policymakers to understand,” Howard said. “This isn’t just scraped knees.” Illinois is preparing to implement some of the country’s stricter requirements. A new law taking effect in January will prohibit anyone younger than 15 from riding an electric bicycle, regardless of its classification. The law also requires riders of high-speed electric devices capable of traveling more than 28 miles per hour to have a driver’s license, registration and insurance. Those high-speed electric bicycles will be prohibited from sidewalks and conventional bicycle lanes. Democratic state Sen. Ram Villivalam sponsored the measure, which passed with bipartisan support. “Without clear regulations for these devices, we are seeing increased injuries and accidents — jeopardizing community safety,” Villivalam said in an August statement. New Jersey has also enacted a law requiring electric-bike riders to obtain licenses and register their vehicles. More than two dozen states and Washington, D.C., have enacted or amended electric-scooter laws covering minimum ages, speed limits and other operating restrictions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In Pennsylvania, the state House approved legislation this week that would legalize and regulate electric scooters. The vehicles are currently illegal to ride on public streets, sidewalks and bicycle lanes under state law. The Pennsylvania proposal would require riders to be at least 16 years old and establish speed limits and helmet requirements. The bill now moves to the state Senate. Michigan lawmakers are considering legislation that would require riders younger than 18 to have a license to operate electric bicycles capable of traveling faster than 20 miles per hour. The proposal would also establish helmet requirements for teenage riders, while a companion bill would impose new fines for certain violations. The proposals come after several Michigan communities restricted or considered restrictions on electric bikes and other high-powered electric vehicles following crashes involving teenagers. Ohio lawmakers introduced legislation earlier this month to strengthen existing regulations on electric bicycles and scooters. The proposals include prohibiting children 13 and younger from operating the devices and requiring riders to wear helmets. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed three new electric-bike safety laws this month, establishing age limits and other restrictions after a series of deadly crashes. Despite the growing momentum for regulation, electric-bike advocates and manufacturers argue that lawmakers must distinguish between different types of vehicles instead of applying the same rules to all electric bicycles and scooters. Traditional pedal-assisted electric bicycles operate differently from throttle-powered models capable of motorcycle-like speeds. Advocates say those differences should determine which safety requirements apply. They favor tiered regulations based on vehicle speed and capabilities, including appropriate licensing, registration, insurance, helmet requirements and restrictions on where particular vehicles can operate. They warn that broad prohibitions could also affect lower-speed electric bicycles used for everyday transportation. The debate now facing state and local governments is how to address increasingly powerful vehicles and rising injury rates without treating every electric bicycle or scooter as equally dangerous. With new restrictions advancing in several states and researchers documenting significant risks to younger riders, lawmakers are under growing pressure to bring safety regulations in line with the technology. The post E-Bikes Capable of 55 MPH Spur Nationwide Push for Tougher Safety Laws appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM. ...read more read less