NYT The Morning, 11/30 : E-bike injuries

[Tim Potter]

Would be good for all of us to read it and consider how MSU might get ahead of things before we get serious injuries.

 

Tim

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From: The New York Times <nytd...@nytimes.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2025 11:58 PM
To: Reeves, Mathew <ree...@msu.edu>
Subject: The Morning: E-bike injuries

 Plus, Netanyahu’s pardon, smog in New Delhi and Simon Cowell.

View in browser|nytimes.com November 30, 2025 Good morning. Today, we’re looking at the dangers of e-bikes. Injuries and deaths are rising — but the law hasn’t kept up.   Near Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, Calif. Balazs Gardi for The New York Times Bearing down By Adam B. Kushner I’m the editor of this newsletter. Sometimes I bike to work. It’s a 12-mile workout alongside the Potomac River — a lovely route. I pedal hard. But a few times per ride, I get a shock: An e-bike zooms past me like an angry locomotive, doing almost 30 miles per hour. It’s always another commuter, like me, schlepping his laptop and shoes to work in a backpack. I wonder each time: What happens if you crash at that speed? The Times Magazine answered that question today. E-bikes are heavy and fast — in some ways closer to a motorcycle than a manual two-wheeler — and they’ve proliferated in the last few years. So have the injuries associated with them, rising by a factor of 10. Policymakers haven’t caught up. I spoke to David Darlington, a freelance journalist who wrote about the issue. It seems like a good thing that a popular new tech is getting us out of our cars and homes more, no? E-bikes are awesome. They’re fun to ride, they ease the pain of hills and headwinds, and they’re already cutting demand for oil by a million barrels per day — four times as much as all the world’s electric cars. But people need to be educated, not just about e-bikes but safe cycling practices in general. The author of one study told me that Americans think of bicycles as toys: They aren’t taken seriously as vehicles, so they don’t require licenses or “driver’s manuals.” But many of the new devices — still defined as “low-speed bicycles” under the law — have powerful motors and travel at speeds that are dangerous for inexperienced riders. How scared should we be? Some devices are more menacing than others. The scariest are “e-motos,” which look like mini-motorcycles and aren’t legal e-bikes at all. I profiled a high school student, Amelia Stafford, who went for a short ride on a friend’s e-moto and ended up with a traumatic brain injury. Pedestrians have been killed when speeding riders ran into them. Is that because riders go so much faster? The top allowed speed is 28 miles per hour. That class of bike is supposed to stay on the road, though enforcement is practically nonexistent. The ones that go 20 m.p.h. are allowed in bike lanes, but even those are faster than “analog” bikes — and the motor can often be “unlocked” to exceed those speeds, hitting 45 m.p.h. and more. Plus, e-bikes usually weigh more than 50 pounds. That’s a lot of inertia, even at a legal speed. So the result is more gruesome when they get out of control. One hospital in Marin County, Calif., studied the crashes there and found that the chance of dying from a conventional bike crash is less than 1 percent, but for e-bikes it was 11 percent. What are the rules for e-bikes? There are few federal laws other than limiting the top speed to 28 m.p.h. (In Europe, it’s 15.5 m.p.h.) Aside from that, states and counties and cities come up with their own rules. You might be required to wear a helmet, or stay out of public parks, or refrain from operating an e-bike with a hand throttle (as opposed to getting a boost only when you pedal) in your town. But if you venture into the next town, none of that may apply. Safety advocates are pressing for tougher rules. Is this the beginning of the sort of crusade that brought us seatbelts? What does the movement look like? Matt Willis, who was Marin County’s public health officer at the time of Amelia Stafford’s crash there, told me, “The technology has moved forward way faster than our ability to measure its impact or develop sensible regulation.” Monica Stafford, Amelia’s mom, thinks that management of e-bikes is at an embryonic stage of development — like automobiles 100 years ago. (Although electric bikes were invented before cars!) Read David’s piece and learn what happened to Amelia Stafford.

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[Dale Freeman]

It's hard to know which way to go with this.  I definitely am opposed to bikes capable of going faster than 20 mph being on multi-use paths.  Less sure about bike lanes.

To me, the ideal would be speed limits on these paths, but it is totally unrealistic as it would not be enforced.  Still, I would hate to have e-bikes completely barred from paths as it would punish responsible users, especially those with physical limitations.

[pres...@biketcba.org]

This is a tough subject. I have an ebike pedal assist capable of going 28mph, or faster and don't feel I should be banned from trails because my bike is capable of going that speed. I will not go faster than 15mph on trails. That speed could/would be unsafe in most situations, in my opinion. 

The issue to for me is that I have etiquette/knowledge and will not pass others without acknowledging them and letting someone know I am there and overtaking them.

The issue seems to be "rented e-bikes" to people who do not know how to ride safely, not the ebikes' fault, but the rider/driver. At any speed a bike rider out of control may be dangerous, regardless of an e-assist or not. 

How to police the uneducated/unaware about the "rules of the road/trail" is another difficult issue.

Pat

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From: tc...@googlegroups.com <tc...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Dale Freeman <dfree...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 2, 2025 4:06 PM
To: Tri-County Bicycle Assn Advocacy Committee <tc...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [TCBA-Advocacy] Re: NYT The Morning, 11/30 : E-bike injuries

 

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[Bob Lovell]

Maybe we could start with limits on age.  Last week in Meridian Central Park I saw 2 kids, maybe aged 6 and 4, zipping along on a powered scooter at may 10 mph.  No way were they prepared for even a bump in the trail.

Another angle might be vehicle weight.  A limit at point of sale would be enforceable, lower speeds and improve safety for other path users.

Bob Lovell

6185 Graebear Trail

East Lansing, MI 48823

517 256-4552

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[Tim Potter]

Yes, it's pretty tough as we're well along the transition towards electrification of our mobility, but I believe what's lacking are some consistent guardrails for society and for our streets, paths, etc. to provide some order amidst the current "wild wild west" environment that I see playing out on the MSU campus and getting wilder by the day.  Some basic signage with the basic rules, setting speed limits for all users would greatly help provide some guidance to the behavior.  it would also provide some basis for individuals to have conversations with each other about their behavior rather than one person's feelings vs. another person's perceptions of what they feel is allowable. 

We don't establish other laws or rules based on the ability to enforce or not; we set them up, post signs, etc. and then law enforcement will hopefully do their job when needed.  How often do we see speed limit signs, or any a host of so many other laws being enforced?  1-5% of the time we're on the road, maybe?  Does that mean we shouldn't have the laws because they're rarely enforced?  No, that's not how we've done it for as long as we've created laws for society.  We establish laws and rules based on the perceived need for some control or basis for enforcement, some sense of order and safety to our environment.  I see this situation as no different.

Here are a couple good examples of signage I saw along the Musketawa Trail this summer which I think would be a good start for our local pathways.  A standardized speed limit sign would be my other request.  Michigan's DNR created these signs and is willing to share the designs with communities that ask for them.  I've asked the DNR to proactively provide them along with some guidance to help all Michigan communities standardize their signage so that people start to know what to expect.  I hope someone is listening, otherwise the "wild wild west" is going to become like a street scene from Naples at rush hour that I survived this summer by the grace of God.

Tim

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On Tue, Dec 2, 2025 at 7:46 PM pres...@biketcba.org <pres...@biketcba.org> wrote:

[Tim Potter]

Yes, indeed.  Thx for adding it to the agenda.

For those of you interested in learning more about this topic, there was a webinar about a month ago that was recorded and can be viewed here:
E-Bike Safety Approaches that Work!: https://saferoutespartnership.org/resource/e-bike-safety-approaches-that-work/

For some addtl. reading (for those who have the time/ interest) here's a summary of 2024–2025 news articles on e-bike and e-scooter lithium battery fires and related safety topics courtesy of Microsoft Copilot:

Here’s a summary of major news reports from 2024 and 2025 about e-bike and e-scooter lithium-ion battery fires causing injuries and other safety concerns:

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🔥 Battery Fire Incidents & Injuries

• Rad Power Bikes Fire Hazard Warning (Nov 2025)
  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned consumers to stop using certain Rad Power Bikes lithium-ion batteries (models RP-1304 and HL-RP-S1304) after 31 fire reports, including 12 property damage cases worth $734,500. Fires occurred even when batteries were not charging or in use. Rad Power Bikes refused a recall, citing financial constraints. [cbsnews.com], [consumerreports.org], [cpsc.gov]

• VIVI E-Bike Recall (July 2025)
  About 24,000 VIVI e-bikes were recalled after reports of defective lithium-ion batteries catching fire. There were 14 overheating reports and 3 fires, though no injuries were reported. Consumers were advised to stop using the bikes and request free replacement batteries and chargers. [heraldtribune.com]

• Surge in Fires in 2024
  UK data showed 211 fire incidents linked to e-bikes and e-scooters in 2024, causing 86 injuries and 8 fatalities. Many fires were linked to DIY conversion kits and second-hand batteries bought online. Tragic cases included an 8-year-old boy killed in Merseyside and a family losing their home in Catford due to battery explosions. [fia.uk.com]

• New York City Fatal Fires (2024)
  Lithium-ion battery fires in NYC caused multiple fatalities, including a case where an e-bike battery fire trapped and killed two children in Queens. FDNY noted these fires spread explosively, engulfing rooms in under 20 seconds. [ulse.org]

• Australia (Feb 2025)
  In New South Wales, 30 fires in early 2025 were linked to e-bike batteries, including one fatal blaze in Guildford. Fire and Rescue NSW reported 323 lithium-ion battery fires in 2024, up from 272 in 2023. [abc.net.au]

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⚠️ Safety Concerns & Regulatory Actions

• UL Standards Reduce Deaths in NYC (2024)
  After NYC mandated UL safety standards for e-bikes and e-scooters, deaths from battery fires dropped from 14 in 2023 to 3 in 2024, and injuries fell from 114 to 84. [ulse.org]

• Expert Warnings on Heat Risks (2025)
  UL Solutions and NFPA experts warned that high temperatures increase fire risks for lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes and scooters. Tips include using correct chargers, monitoring for swelling or smoke, and avoiding overcharging. [ktnv.com]

• RoSPA Safety Guidance (Apr 2025)
  UK safety body RoSPA highlighted thermal runaway risks and advised proper charging, avoiding escape route blockages, and buying only certified products. [rospa.com]

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📊 Key Trends

• Lithium-ion battery fires are escalating globally, with NYC alone recording 268 fires and 18 fatalities in 2023, and continued incidents in 2024 despite new standards. [ul.org]
• DIY conversions and cheap batteries from online marketplaces remain a major cause of fires. [fia.uk.com]

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Finally, I'm also attaching a spreadsheet of research papers that have been published in 2024 and 2025 on the topic of e-bike e-scooter lithium battery injuries and safety.

Tim

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On Tue, Dec 9, 2025 at 9:21 AM Dale Freeman <dfree...@gmail.com> wrote:

A worthy topic of discussion for tomorrow.

[Dale Freeman]

A worthy topic of discussion for tomorrow.

On Fri, Dec 5, 2025 at 4:20 PM Tim Potter <flyingdu...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Charles Kotz]

There is a very comprehensive article regarding e-bikes, (class 1, class 2, and e-moto vehicles), in this past Sundays New York Times Magazine.  Class 1, the bikes motor assists the rider up to a speed of 20 mph, Class 2 has the same top speed, but has a hand throttle, and the e-moto, is basically an electric motorcycle with a hand throttle, and speed capabilities over 30 mph.

The most alarming difference was the fatality rate between non-electric bikes and e-bikes.  “On a pedal bike, the chance of dying from an injury is about three-tenths of 1 percent”.  On an e-bike the data indicated it was 11 percent. As nationwide sales have quadrupled, e-bike injuries increased by a factor of 10, to 23,493, from 2,215. Head injuries from e-bike accidents increased 49-fold.

Clearly, e-bikes are becoming a viable mode of transportation, for many,  as car prices have skyrocketed.  Our cities and townships need to provide the infrastructure that will accommodate motorized and non-motorized bikes.  Unfortunately, most communities have not even developed safe roads for non-motorized bikes yet.  Perhaps the onslaught of e-bikes will get their attention.

Sincerely,

Charlie Kotz

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