HONOLULU (KHON2) — It’s time to get caught up to speed when it comes to e-bikes before riding one. The state is looking for ways to stop the dangers of e-bikes by cracking down with more regulations.
“The severity is getting more troubling as people are dying,” said Representative Darius Kila. “I think the biggest thing is that we obviously weren’t prepared for the influx of E-bikes into the state.”
Over the last few years, e-bikes have become a new phenomenon with crashes happening almost every day, according to the Honolulu Emergency Services Department.
Now, state departments and lawmakers are coming together with organizations like the Hawaii Bicycling League to clearly define the law, especially for higher-powered e-Bikes.
“It’s not an electric bicycle, but it’s also not a motorcycle, but it kind of lives in this world where we haven’t really put a definition on what it is in the actual laws, which doesn’t give [the Honolulu Police Department] the tools they need to say, ‘that is X and we’ve decided that you can’t ride that someplace,’” said HBL Executive Director, Travis Counsell.
Officials are prioritizing the safety of children who use e-Bikes. Rep. Kila said he’s called upon the Department of Education to look into its policies and if students should be allowed to bring them to school.
“Should the school encumber and accept the student on a bike that is not of age to be driving? Are we now, as a state, held liable should something happen?” questioned Rep. Kila.
HESD suggests not letting children have access to an E-bike at all.
“If they run into the rear of a car, which we’re seeing, even a parked car, their head and face go right through the back windshield, and that can cause devastating injuries even with a helmet,” stated HESD Director, Dr. Jim Ireland.
Lawmakers are also looking for ways to prevent a secondhand market for stolen e-bikes, which is a prevalent problem across the state and even on school campuses, per Rep. Kila.
“It’s opened up Pandora’s Box with E-bikes coming into the market,” said Rep. Kila. “In the same way that we register bicycles, if we have to follow a similar system who’s to know?”
A new e-bike task force headed by the Department of Transportation Services will take the lead on the city level to regulate safety, according to Dr. Ireland.