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Protecting kids from e-bike dangers
A series of fatal crashes on e-bikes is raising urgent questions about what parents need to know before buying electric motorized devices for their kids.
BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. (FOX 9) - A girl is dead and another is in critical condition after a minibike and vehicle crashed in Brooklyn Center, raising urgent questions about what parents need to know before buying electric motorized devices for their kids.
What young riders are allowed to ride
What we know:
The crash is part of a broader pattern this summer.
About a month ago, an 8-year-old boy was hit and killed while riding an e-scooter in Brooklyn Park.
According to the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota, some of these devices are not intended for children.
In Minnesota, riders must be at least 12 years old to use an e-scooter and at least 15 to ride an e-bike. Some electric devices may not be road-legal at all.
What they're saying:
Michael Wojcik, Executive Director of the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota, says sellers aren't always being upfront with parents about what they're actually buying.
"The sellers of these devices are not necessarily communicating to parents that these are motorcycles and these are not legal for to be used anywhere in Minnesota or by kids under a certain age in Minnesota," said Wojcik. "That is something that we do have the ability to control, but we're not doing enough of that."
The law and where it stands
The backstory:
Minnesota updated its law in 2023 to define what an e-bike is.
Generally, e-bikes are limited to speeds of 30 miles per hour with a motor limited to 750 watts of power.
But lawmakers say there is still confusion about where e-bikes end and e-motos begin.
A bill was proposed last session to clarify the distinction between e-bikes and e-motos, but it did not pass.
State Rep. Lucy Rehm says the issue is more complicated than it appears.
"So I think just a simple bill that would define what an e-moto is versus an e-bike. That was the plan to have that bill pass, there were a lot of things that were added to that bill, and it made it you know really difficult to pass something. And it's actually a lot more complicated than you'd think," said Rehm. "You know what kind of what kind of rules apply to someone who rides an e-moto versus someone who's riding an e-bike. Where can you ride an e-bike? Where can you ride an e-motor?"
If you have an electric bike or a similar electric device and you're not sure whether your child can legally ride it, visit here for a full list of rules and requirements.