More teens using sometimes risky e-bikes, raising safety concerns

Photo by Grace Lin

Freshman Eva Cleland starts riding home on her $2000 e-bike.

In day-to-day school traffic, hidden among the busy mom vans sliding open, cautious new student drivers turning into parking lots and friends chatting and walking to school, electric bikes (e-bikes) can be seen zooming around the parking lot.

Despite their high price — the bikes start at $300 and can rise up to $8,000 for high-end versions — e-bikes have become increasingly popular among teens because of their convenience.

“Since we’re in a small town, you can go anywhere with it,” a sophomore boy who e-bikes told The Falcon. “You also don’t need a license to have one.”  

Though they’re convenient and simple to use, critics say e-bikes can also be dangerous. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) riders have a higher chance of getting severely injured or killed in a crash since e-bikes are much heavier and faster than regular bikes. In addition, a recent  New York Times article states that the risk of injury and death to riders rises sharply at 20 mph.

Another sophomore boy interviewed by The Falcon said he uses his e-bike on a daily basis, and his speeds can reach 30-40 mph when going to school. 

At such speeds, e-bike riders operate more like motorcycles, which require driver licenses. However, per the California Vehicle Code, e-bikes are classified as conventional bicycles and do not require a license. 

Another risk is that many young riders do not wear helmets. “I hide it from my parents, but I think they know already,” the sophomore boy said. “Don’t do anything stupid, and just stay safe. Wear a helmet if you’re doing tricks, but if you’re going straight, I think it’s fine.” 

Neither sophomore boy wears a helmet regularly when e-biking. And both said they have had their fair share of accidents and near-accidents while riding their e-bikes, ranging from a close call with a motorcycle to a full-on car crash.

“I’ve been hit by a car three times; last school year, I was riding and crashed, and I flipped over someone’s windshield,” one of the sophomores said. “I wasn’t driving safely, though, because I was swerving on the road. My parents want me to wear a helmet and try to be safer.”  

He was sent to the hospital by his parents shortly after sustaining a fracture to his ankles and wrists. In addition, just two weeks after school started, a car hit the sophomore while he was biking home from a football game. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, e-bike injuries have escalated 70% from 2017 to 2020.

Following these accidents, the sophomores said he is paying more attention to where the cars are on the road.

Concerns about e-bikes are also rising in the community. As people gain more awareness about the associated dangers, more efforts advocating e-bike safety have been placed by both communities and government organizations like the CHP.

For those who follow safe driving practices — wearing a helmet and going at a reasonable speed — e-bikes are nevertheless a relatively safe and convenient option for transportation.

Freshman Eva Cleland uses her e-bike to get breakfast at Starbucks with her friends before school. 

“I’ve seen many people get pretty close to cars and it’s very scary for me to watch,” Cleland said. “My parents are definitely concerned about it, but I think I’ve earned their trust enough since I use my bike responsibly; [e-bikes are] just offer a lot more freedom.”

Campus supervisor Archie Ljepava thinks there should be more regulations regarding e-bikes, like controlling their speeds and making sure riders have a permit to operate them. He said most accidents he knows of are more of riders that lost control or had a heavy bike. 

“I think they’re good for the environment and a good source of transportation, but it’s dangerous how the operators ride their bikes,” Ljepava said. “Just know that if we see accidents, we will crack down on them.”