Giannoulias calls for tighter regulations on high-powered e-bikes, scooters in Illinois
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias on Thursday called for improved regulations on devices such as high-speed e-bikes and scooters, which he said can be dangerous and are to blame for accidents that have caused injuries and even deaths.
Giannoulias announced a multi-pronged campaign called Ride Safe, "Ride Smart, Ride Ready," to develop modernized safety laws that keep up with the advancement in micromobility technology.
"If you're like me, you may not have ridden one of the new electric modes of transportation, which fall under the umbrella term of micromobility," Giannoulias said. "But no doubt, you've seen them — whether it be e-bikes, e-bikes flying past, electric scooters and electric skateboard zipping through traffic and on sidewalks, and even electric unicycles turning heads."
Giannoulias said micromobility devices like e-bikes and scooters have their place in contemporary society, being more environmentally friendly and more affordable than cars, and "very fun to ride." But with the boom in micromobility technology has come a spike in tragedies, Giannoulias said.
"Injuries and fatalities have soared an alarming 300% nationwide in just three years, and that was the last data we had from 2019 to 2022 — four years ago — so you can only imagine what those numbers look like now. Illinois has experienced some high-profile fatal crashes of its own involving e-bikes," he said.
Giannoulias cited a couple of examples, including an incident last fall in which a 16-year-old Mount Prospect boy named Alvaro Acevedo was killed when the e-bike he was riding collided with a pickup truck in Arlington Heights, and an incident in 2022 when Illinois State University assistant vice president for student affairs Adam Peck, 49, died after being struck by an e-bike rider in Bloomington-Normal.
Meanwhile, devices such as e-motos — electric motorcycles or dirt bikes — have also now entered the market.
"They're now faster, heavier, higher powered, and capable of reaching speeds of more than 50 miles an hour," Giannoulias said. "You can only imagine the magnitude of risk when they're involved in a crash, whether it's with another car, a bike, or a pedestrian."
Part of the problem, Giannoulias said, is that state law has failed to keep up with technology and demand — with the most dangerous devices going unregulated.
"Some of the lower-speed micromobility devices are already regulated under portions of Illinois law, including the three classifications of low-speed e-bikes," Giannoulias said. "But there are major gaps in law, and some devices are not currently defined in statute."
E-bikes, e-motos, and e-scooters that go faster than 50 mph are not regulated at all under current state law, and also have no age restrictions for use, Giannoulias said. But safer electric bikes with speeds of just 20 mph are regulated and do have age restrictions, he said.
Meanwhile, many municipalities have their own laws and regulations with regard to micromobility devices, leaving a patchwork that varies from town to town.
The Secretary of State's office wants to work with the state lawmakers to get the vehicle code updated so micromobility devices are better regulated across the board at the state level, while maintaining the ability of municipalities to enact their own rules.
"This lack of clarity isn't just confusing, it's downright dangerous," Giannoulias said.
The "Ride Smart, Ride Safe, Ride Ready" program would also have an education and public awareness component, and a community-based enforcement program.
"The bottom line is that riders, drivers, and pedestrians are all trying to navigate a system that was designed for a different era," Giannoulias said. "Without action, these tragic crashes, injuries, and fatalities will continue to rise."
In announcing the program, Giannoulias was joined by state Sen. Ram Villavalam (D-Chicago) and Rep. Barbara Hernandez (D-Aurora), medical and education representatives, and cycling and safety advocates.
