Michigan law enforcement, medical officials push for more e-bike oversight
Multiple law enforcement agencies and medical professionals in Metro Detroit came together Tuesday afternoon to warn the public about their growing concerns regarding e-bikes.
They say accidents involving e-bikes are alarming, and they want parents to know the dangers before they buy them for their children.
"These are a recipe for kids and other people to get extremely injured or killed, period," said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.
They are not your average bikes. The battery-operated bikes that can gain speeds of at least 20 miles per hour give riders less time to react or brake.
"When combined with the smaller size and how fast they can travel, it creates a dangerous situation, and many drivers may not see riders riding from a distance," said Lt. Ty Howard with Michigan State Police.
Authorities and medical leaders say they are seeing a dramatic increase in emergency visits involving e-bikes and scooters.
"Last year, we had 21 incidents, and this year, as of July, we had 33 serious e-bike injuries," said Robert Dunne, EMS medical director for Wayne County.
That's why they want parents to know what they are buying for their children before they go behind the pedal and on the roadway.
"E-bikes are a growing thing in popularity in the bicycle market itself," said Joey Gilbert, manager of TREK Royal Oak.
Gilbert says e-bikes are a common inquiry in their store
"Because most commonly they heard about the stories and problems with some e-bikes and style that are in the world they want to know they want to know where they can and cannot ride them in certain places and counties, even," said Gilbert.
"I love having fun, but you have to be safe at the same time," said Casen Kalef.
Kalef remembers his e-scooter accident. His mother says that while rushing to a friend's house, he fell off his bike and into the road. She says the way he braced for impact and wearing his helmet may have saved his life.
"I just want people to be safe; I don't want people to crash," said Kalef.
Authorities say they are working with legislators to create more guidelines and restrictions for e-bikes and scooters.
