Our Chicago: E-bike safety, injuries and legislation to regulate them
CHICAGO (WLS) -- E-bikes and e-scooters are popular, but at times, they can be dangerous.
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The Consumer Product Safety Commission documented 533 micro-mobility fatalities between 2017 and 2024. Micro-mobility includes e-bikes, e-scooters and other small, electric vehicles.
This summer, the Chicago area has seen deaths and injures related to e-bikes.
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Pediatric Emergency Dr. Kristine Cieslak at Lurie Children's Hospital says they see three to five injuries each day.
"It could be anywhere from traumatic brain injuries, skull fractures, concussions, complex bone fractures of the collarbone, the elbow, the forearm," Dr. Cieslak said. "In particular with e-scooters, we see the injuries to the face and the teeth when the kids are thrown over the handlebars."
Dr. Cieslak says riders should always wear helmets and protective gear.
"We know that helmet use will decrease the risk of head injuries by 50%. So that's a really significant number for parents to remember."
Illinois legislation meant to regulate the use of e-bikes is waiting for Governor JB Pritzker's signature.
Republican State Senator Darby Hills from the northwest suburbs, was a co-sponsor on the legislation.
"I had chiefs of police, I had my mayors, parents, I'm a mom of three myself, and they were coming to me really concerned about the regulation of all of these high-powered devices that are going up to 50 miles per hour on our roads," she said.
Hills said communities have been passing their own ordinances. She said this new legislation would regulate the different classes of these devices: classes one, two and three.
"Class one goes up to 20 miles per hour. Class two would go up to 28 miles per hour, which would require you to be 16 years of age to be able to operate that. And then over 28 miles per hour you would have to have a license, registration and insurance. And you would be regulated under the Illinois Vehicle Code so that if they're driving erratically, or they're speeding, or whatnot, law enforcement could actually be able to address those issues."
