Dangerous E-Bike Accidents Injuring & Killing Teens

Teenage accidents on e-bikes are on the rise, with two recent incidents resulting in the death of one 15-year old, who had been riding his e-bike home on a busy road with cars, and was hit by one and thrown violently. In spite of wearing a bike helmet, there was still massive trauma to his head as a result of the accident, and he passed away. Three days later, another teenage boy was taken to the same hospital for serious injuries after the e-bike he was riding collided with the car.

In spite of a booming industry, as a result of what appears to be constant accidents involving these bikes, some towns and cities have now declared a state of emergency for e-bike safety, and with good reason.

Minimal, Ineffective Regulations & Safety Guidelines

Unfortunately, as will happen with developing technology, laws and regulations have not kept up with innovation: Most agencies – including the Consumer Product Safety Commission and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – haven’t even gotten around to developing the proper safety guidelines for their use, and where states and localities have put in place some rules and requirements, they are largely ineffectual, as they still allow teenagers to drive them, and even with speed limits in place, these bikes are at serious risk of colliding with cars, as they are used on main roadways and move too fast for use on sidewalks.

Georgia’s laws reflect these issues, as the only real requirements involved dictate that you have to be at least 15 years old to ride one and they must be ridden as far to the right as practical – on roadways, just like bicycles. The problem is: e-bikes are very different from bicycles, and therefore, regulating them as such does little to protect riders. In addition, the two most recent deaths involving teenagers involved 15-year-olds, specifically, on the bikes, making the age requirement largely ineffectual.

Is This A Product Liability Issue?

Many have pointed out that manufacturers and distributors are essentially flouting any and all safety precautions in terms of releasing this machinery out onto the roads; For example, in spite of the recommended speed limit of 20 mph for these bikes, some can go as fast as 70 mph. In addition, even when driven at legal speeds, there are a number of risks with inexperienced drivers merging into complex traffic that not only involves vehicles traveling at higher speeds, but sometimes also distracted drivers. As a result, many would argue that these manufacturers have simply made, and released, an instrument of danger, and marketed them to a young population that is far too at risk of being involved in accidents and getting seriously injured or killed while using them.

Have You Been Hurt In An Accident? Contact Our Macon, Georgia Injury Attorneys

If you or a loved one has been injured due to another’s negligence here in Macon, Georgia – whether that involves a manufacturer, driver, or both – it is imperative that you speak with an experienced Macon personal injury attorney right away in order to ensure that justice is not averted.

At the Law Offices of Buzzell, Welsh & Hill, our injury attorneys are committed to serving the needs of the individuals and families who are harmed in accidents in our community. Contact us today for a free confidential consultation to find out more.

Sources:

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

brag.org/ebike-laws-in-the-state-of-georgia/