New York City legislators, in August, unveiled proposed rules to better govern electric bikes and scooters, cracking down on what they described as “illegal vehicles.” The plan, which was initiated after a series of fatal crashes, includes 17 bills that will be considered this fall. Many of the proposals are expected to face opposition from various interest groups over the use of “shared streets.”
Some of the bills have already been introduced, including ones to ban the sale of some faster e-bikes that are currently legal; require delivery companies to register for commercial licenses; compel companies to share more data about drivers’ trips; curtail the use of unregistered mopeds; and support stricter penalties for riders who flee the scene of a crash.
Other legislation under consideration would mandate additional insurance for food delivery apps; increase enforcement against lawbreakers and users of illegal devices that can exceed the 15-miles-per-hour speed limit for e-bikes; introduce a trade-in program to swap illegal devices with safer ones; convene a task force to study street design improvements; and require more detailed enforcement statistics from police.
City Council will hold a hearing on the bills on Sept. 30. Officials from the city’s transportation, public safety and consumer protection departments will be questioned over the complicated web of concerns regarding pedestrian safety, worker protections and infrastructure.
There were 560 collisions involving e-bikes and 795 involving standup e-scooters this year, through the third week of July, according to police data. Both figures were up 28% from the same period last year. In a majority of serious crashes, riders were struck by cars. At least 20 riders died in e-bike and e-scooter collisions so far this year, up from 13 in the same period last year, according to the Department of Transportation (DOT). The city is still on track to record one of its lowest annual rates of fatal traffic crashes this year, the DOT added.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he would reserve judgment about the legislation until he saw more details, but voiced support for removing unsafe vehicles that can far exceed the speed limit. In August, he announced that the city had issued cease-and-desist letters to 42 online retailers, demanding they stop selling electric bikes, scooters and other devices that are illegal on New York City streets. The city is threatening a civil penalty of up to $2,000 for each illegal sale.
Source: The New York Times
