New York City transportation officials are launching an e-bike public safety campaign in response to a soaring number of deadly crashes on the bikes.
Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said on Tuesday that the campaign’s messaging — “get smart before you start” — is intended to convince delivery workers and others to follow traffic laws and moderate their speeds to avoid crashes. There were 23 fatal e-bike crashes last year, compared to nine in 2022, according to city data.
The multilingual campaign will roll out via social media, subways, TV, radio and newspapers and “will inform users how to properly accelerate, brake and operate an electrical bike at an appropriate speed,” Rodriguez said.
Nearly 6% of adults in New York City ride an e-bike or e-scooter at least once a week, according to the transportation commissioner, who added that e-bikes were involved in most of the city’s fatal bike crashes last year.
The NYPD has issued e-bike riders more than 1,600 summonses for alleged moving violations so far in 2024, and more than 400 parking tickets to car drivers parked in bike lanes, NYPD Chief of Transportation Philip Rivera said.
“Awareness campaigns like these can save lives,” Rivera said, noting that e-bikes can reach legal speeds of up to 25 mph.
Although e-bike riders aren’t required to be licensed or insured, state Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar introduced legislation this week that would require e-bikes to be insured and registered with the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
Representatives for delivery workers, who have come to rely on e-bikes for work, immediately opposed the bill.
Gustavo Ajche, who works with local delivery workers collective Los Deliveristas Unidos, tweeted that he would like to see leaders regulate corporations that employ delivery workers rather than put “the burden of penalty” on workers.
“We’re deeply disappointed to see local and state leaders introduce legislation that would put the burden of penalty on…
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