Legal Protections for Young E-Bike Riders Trail Behind Rapid Popularity Increase

Teen e-bike incidents are increasing across New Jersey, raising questions on insurance coverage and legal protections as NYC implements a new 15 mph speed limit

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, October 13, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As New York City prepares to enforce its new 15 miles-per-hour speed limit for e-bikes on October 24, Teen e-bike accidents and fatalities continue to rise across New Jersey, exposing critical gaps in insurance coverage and complex legal challenges that leave families facing

devastating financial consequences.

Recent tragic incidents in New Jersey underscore the urgency. On September 24, a 13-year-old boy was killed while riding an e-bike in Scotch Plains after colliding with a landscaping truck. Days later, two 17-year-old girls riding e-bikes were struck and killed in an apparent hit-and-run in Cranford, with the alleged driver reportedly traveling 70 mph in a 25 mph residential zone.

A 2023 study has shown that young people are the largest group involved in e-bike accidents, particularly those between the ages of 10 and 13 -- with children using helmets less than other age groups and being hospitalized more.

The popularity of ‘micromobility’ transportation, including bikes, e-bikes, electric scooters and skateboards has exploded over the past few years, with approximately 1.7 million e-bikes sold in the U.S. in 2024. That figure is up from between 500,000 and 1 million just four years earlier, according to multiple sources.

“We’re seeing teens everywhere on e-bikes, racing through city streets,” said Jeff S. Korek, Past President of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and Senior Trial Partner at GLK Law. “I remember riding my bicycle around the neighborhood as a child, but today’s e-bikes move at speeds I could never have imagined. This fast-growing trend brings serious safety and legal challenges that families can’t afford to ignore.”

E-bike injuries across the country surged 293% from 2019 to 2022.

A Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) study found that between 2017 and 2022, hospitals reported more than 45,586 e-bike-related injuries.

New Jersey’s E-Bike Liability Challenges

Despite soaring adoption, New Jersey’s current legal framework leaves e-bike riders dangerously unprotected. Without mandatory insurance or PIP coverage, families of injured teens face staggering medical bills and protracted litigation just to secure basic compensation.

Law enforcement lacks clear guidelines for classifying and ticketing e-bike offenses, while app-based delivery companies continue to incentivize high-speed riding in residential neighborhoods. This regulatory void not only endangers young riders but shifts the full burden of financial and emotional recovery onto victims’ families—an outcome that is neither fair nor sustainable.

Protecting Young Riders

Mayor Adams’ decisive action in New York underscores the urgency of safeguarding young riders as e-mobility surges. New Jersey must follow suit by extending clear, comprehensive protections to every child who hops on an e-bike or scooter.

By mandating a streamlined insurance rider—easily added to existing auto or homeowners policies—riders under 18 would receive rapid reimbursement for medical expenses, ensuring that no parent is forced to choose between essential treatment and financial solvency.

Moreover, the time has come to empower parents and guardians with enforceable safety standards. Requiring helmet use and integral speed-governor devices for underage riders, backed by civil penalties for non-compliance, will instill a culture of responsibility and awareness from the moment children mount their e-bikes.

These measures will complement the state’s broader Vision Zero goals by reducing preventable injuries and fatalities on our streets.

If New York can set a firm 15-mph limit and commit resources to enforcement, New Jersey can—and must—match this leadership by codifying rider protections into law. This is not merely a policy adjustment but a moral imperative: the freedom to ride should never come at the cost of a family’s future.

About Jeff

Jeff S. Korek, a past President of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, is the Senior Trial Partner at GLK LAW, specializing in personal injury, and medical malpractice law with nearly 40 years of experience. Renowned for his expertise in handling complex injury, accident and malpractice litigation, he has been repeatedly recognized by Best Lawyers for “Lawyer of the Year” in New York for Medical Malpractice & Personal Injury Law and is a lifetime honoree in "America’s Top 100 Attorneys." For more information, please visit https://www.lawyertime.com/jeff-s-korek/