As the report underscores, the new bill is designed to “tighten e-bike rules” and to make it more difficult for riders to use e-bikes without any kind of safety training or knowledge. Our San Clemente personal injury attorneys can tell you more.

Learning More About E-Bikes and Injury Risks in San Diego County

Whether you are in San Clemente or elsewhere in San Diego County, you probably see e-bike riders on the road, on paths, and even sometimes on sidewalks where they are not supposed to be riding. A recent article in the Los Angeles Times reported that speeding is a major issue in e-bike collisions. Although the speed limit is set in the single digits for most e-bikes in certain beach areas, for example, many riders are clocked at speeds of more than 20 miles per hour, and many e-bikes reach speeds of up to nearly 30 miles per hour. When an e-bike rider speeds, they can injure themselves and other e-bike owners or renters, as well as pedestrians, skateboarders, and regular bicyclists.

Common injuries include but are not limited to:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), which include concussions;
• Severe abrasions;
• Severe lacerations;
• Crush injuries;
• Broken bones; and
• Traumatic amputations.

Text of the Proposed Bill

The proposed bill to restrict e-bike use to riders aged 12 and older and to those who are properly licensed was introduced several months ago and remains before the state legislature. It is not yet clear whether the bill will pass, but if it were to, it would essentially create a type of driver’s license requirement to ride an e-bike lawfully in California.

In addition to the age requirement for e-bike use, AB-530, the proposed law, “would create an e-bike license program with an online written test and a state-issued photo identification for those persons without a valid driver’s license.” The aim of the bill is to reduce injuries and to make e-bike riding safer throughout the state.

Contact a San Clemente E-Bike Injury Lawyer Today

If you were injured by a negligent e-bike rider, or if you were struck by a vehicle or otherwise injured while riding an e-bike, you could be eligible to file a claim for compensation. E-bike injuries are on the rise in Southern California, but one of our experienced San Clemente e-bike injury attorneys can help you seek the compensation you need. Contact the Walton Law Firm to get started on your claim.

See Related Blog Posts: Are E-Bikes More Dangerous Than We Thought? E-Bike Accidents in Encinitas: What You Should Know

While many Californians and visitors to the state have been reading about potential e-bike dangers for a few years now, are e-bikes actually much more dangerous than we thought? According to an article in Fortune, trauma specialists are concerned that “we’re on the front edge of a new order of danger on both bike paths and roadways.” What do you need to know about recent assessments of e-bike safety risks? Our San Marcos injury attorneys can say more.

E-Bike Injuries Increase Alongside Rise in Sales

Data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) suggests that e-bike sales rose significantly between 2017 and 2021, and it is likely that the pattern has continued from 2021 through 2023. As sales numbers have increased, so have injury reports, according to Fortune. Indeed, trauma specialists report that they are seeing more patients with significant accident-related injuries, and some of them may not even be accurately reported as e-bike injuries. Accordingly, the injury rates could be even worse than the numbers recorded. In 2021 alone, US sales of e-bikes reached about 900,000, which is “a near doubling of sales from just one year earlier.”

What are those recorded numbers? Between 2017 and 2021, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) identified 53 deaths from e-bike accidents and hundreds more nonfatal injuries. Anecdotally, motorists report collisions or near-collisions with speeding e-bikes, and e-bike riders show up in emergency departments with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), severe fractures to arms and legs, spinal injuries, and serious road rash. As the article suggests, the “statistics will likely continue to balloon” concerning e-bike sales and accompanying injuries.

Liability for E-Bike Accidents

After an e-bike accident, it is essential to find out about liability. In other words, who is responsible for injuries in an e-bike accident? The answer to that question will depend upon the circumstances of the accident.

In many cases, speeding is a primary cause of e-bike collisions with motor vehicles. According to Fortune, e-bike riders can ride through intersections at speeds that they would be unlikely to “ever reach on a conventional bicycle.” Yet motorists also play a role in these crashes as a result of distracted driving, as well as aggressive driving and intoxicated driving. The best way to determine liability after an e-bike accident and to seek compensation is to have an attorney evaluate your case.

Contact a San Marcos E-Bike Accident and Injury Lawyer Today

California has become a hot spot for e-bikes, and residents and visitors to the state alike are buying and renting e-bikes for transportation and recreation. Yet, as the facts in the Fortune article underscore, e-bikes can be extremely dangerous and are frequently involved in severe and fatal accidents. If you or someone you love suffered a serious injury in an e-bike accident, you should discuss your options with a San Marcos personal injury lawyer as soon as you can. Contact the Walton Law Firm to learn more about how we can assist you.

See Related Blog Posts: E-Bike Accidents in Encinitas: What You Should Know Liability for a Vista Bike Accident

Details of the Recent E-Bike Accident in California

For many California residents and visitors to the state, riding an e-bike can be a good way to enjoy the outdoors and to get some exercise, yet e-bikes are also extremely dangerous. According to a recent article in People Magazine, a mother recently sustained deadly injuries in an e-bike accident, and her two sons were injured. The accident occurred in San Juan Capistrano on the San Juan Creek Trail on a recent Saturday evening.

The article explains that the mother, Jennifer Macy, 36, had been riding an e-bike on the San Juan Creek Trail with her two sons strapped into bike seats. The two sons are aged 3 and 4. Reports indicate that Macy “hit the curb and all three were thrown onto rocks on the side of the trail.” One of the children sustained “major trauma,” while the other sustained more minor injuries. Both of Macy’s sons are expected to survive the accident, but Macy’s injuries were fatal. Both of Macy’s sons were wearing bicycle helmets at the time of the collision, but Macy was not wearing a helmet.

Understanding E-Bike Risks and Injuries

In the aftermath of the San Juan Capistrano fatal accident, there are renewed questions coming up about the safety of e-bikes and the likelihood of a serious or deadly injury. Dr. Tetsuya Takeuchi, who serves as trauma medical director at Mission Hospital, indicated that “electric bike accidents often yield injuries that are more similar to motorcycle crashes than typical bike accidents” since they occur at “higher speeds” than collisions involving regular bicycles. Common injuries in e-bike accidents can include but are not limited to the following:

• Traumatic brain injuries;
• Broken bones;
• Spinal cord injuries;
• Internal bleeding and organ damage; and
• Other catastrophic injuries.

Should anyone really be riding e-bikes, especially with children in tow? E-bikes do have health benefits, but they also have injury risks. According to an article in The New York Times, e-bike popularity has grown rapidly, and both “interest in and sales of pedal-assisted electric bikes surg[ed] during the pandemic.” Yet recent studies of e-bikes suggest that it is critical for riders to consider the accompanying injury risks. Indeed, a study published in Injury Prevention indicated that, although all kinds of bicycle accidents can result in serious and debilitating injuries, “e-bike injuries were the most severe and likely to require hospitalization.”

Contact an Encinitas Personal Injury Attorney

Do you have questions about filing an e-bike accident? Multiple parties could be liable, including an owner of the premises where the accident occurred or a designer or manufacturer of an e-bike. Our Encinitas personal injury attorneys can assist you. Contact the Walton Law Firm to learn more.

See Related Blog Posts: Child Injuries in Poway Bicycle Accidents ER Visits Common in San Clemente Bicycle Accidents