E-Bikes, E-Motos, and Youth Safety

As e-bikes gain popularity nationwide, concerns about safety are growing, especially when it comes to young riders. In 2022, more than 1.1 million electric bicycles were sold in the U.S., with a projected annual growth rate of 10% (FACS, 2025). From 2021 to 2022, micromobility-related injuries rose by 21%, with an estimated average annual increase of 23% (CPSC, 2023). Children ages 14 and younger account for 36% of all micromobility injuries since 2017.

Health Risks To Children

Cases of youth being involved in e-bike crashes, such as one involving a 15-year-old in Decatur, are becoming more common.

E-bikes’ high speeds make them difficult to control for most young and/or inexperienced riders. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends that motorized vehicles used by children under the age of 12 travel no faster than 10mph. However, class 1 and 2 e-bikes do not have age restrictions in Georgia, and can reach 20mph on motor power alone. 

Data show that youth are less safe on e-bikes than other age groups. In one study, 44% of all e-bike crashes occurred among riders aged 10-13. In an evaluation of 911 calls in Marin County, California, the 10-15 age group was the only one in which e-bike crashes outnumbered conventional bike crashes.

The same study that saw nearly half of all crashes occurring in young adolescents found that e-bike crashes are more likely to result in  hospitalization  than conventional bike crashes. A medical cohort study found that an adolescent’s likelihood of suffering a traumatic brain injury from an e-bike crash was 37%, compared to 19% from a conventional bike crash.

The Mineta Transportation Institute has several recommendations to make e-bikes safer for youth. It also stresses that errors in reporting and a lack of understanding of vehicle classifications often lead to injuries being incorrectly attributed to e-bike crashes, despite many two-wheeled electric vehicles actually being electric motorcycles (e-motos) or electric mopeds. Reducing youth access to e-motos, especially for those under the legal age to operate them, is an important step toward decreasing the number of crashes and injuries.

Knowing The Difference

Georgia law restricts the usage of some e-bikes by age and stipulates safety considerations that minors must take into account.

Many parents don’t know that state law (see previous blog post) prohibits children under 15 from operating a class 3 e-bike, although they may ride as a passenger if the bike has dedicated seating. People of any age riding a class 3 e-bike are required to wear an ANSI/Snell standard helmet (O.C.G.A.§ 40-6-303). 

Although the CPSC recommends that motorized bicycles (and scooters) traveling faster than 10mph are inappropriate “even for 12-year-olds,” anyone in Georgia may legally ride class 1 & 2 e-bikes that reach 20mph. The state law that all children ages 16 and under shall wear a helmet also applies to all e-bikes (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-296).

Despite legal prohibitions and recommended best practices, many Georgia youth are illegally riding e-motos rather than e-bikes that are approved for their age. If a vehicle exceeds 28mph under pedal assist or 20mph with a throttle, then it is not an e-bike (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-300). 

Electric motorcycles, or e-motos, may be labelled and marketed as “bikes” even though they do not meet the definition of any legal bicycle or e-bike classification. Some retailers even target youth, advertising that children should convince their parents to buy them “cool bikes,” and employing trendy marketing tactics on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.

These e-motos are often either mopeds or motorcycles, according to state law. Both vehicle types require at least a learner’s driving permit and a minimum age of 15 to operate on the road, with motorcycles having their own, more stringent rules (O.C.G.A.§ 40-6-351).

Refer to our previous post to learn more about the legal definitions of e-bikes, motorcycles, and mopeds. 

Risks To People and Pets

Although most safety statistics relate to e-bike operators, it’s also true that irresponsibly operating an e-bike or e-moto can cause serious problems for other road and trail users. In 2024, in an e-bike crash in Columbus, a teenage e–bike rider struck a woman jogging on the sidewalk, ultimately resulting in her death.

Many kids ride on sidewalks because they were taught that it is safer than riding on the road. However, sidewalk riding is a common cause of crashes (O.C.G.A.§40-6-144). People riding on sidewalks, especially at higher speeds on e-bikes, are more likely to crash into signs, fire hydrants, pedestrians, and leashed dogs, or to be struck by a car turning into or out of a driveway or intersection. Sidewalk riding is illegal for everyone over the age of 12 and is legal for those 12 or under only in certain jurisdictions(O.C.G.A.§40-6-144). 

Takeaways

E-bikes are powerful vehicles that can be particularly dangerous when ridden by adolescents. Be sure to only buy class 1 and 2 e-bikes for children who prove they can operate them safely and responsibly. Do not allow children under 15 to operate a class 3 e-bike illegally.

Set a good example and follow all state and local laws. Thoroughly check the specifications of any two-wheeled electric vehicle you are considering buying to ensure it is an e-bike and not an e-moto that requires a license and possibly registration. Use the chart below to help identify your two-wheeled electric vehicle and operate it legally. Ride your e-bike on roadways, shared-use paths, and in bike lanes, and never operate an e-moto in bike lanes, on shared-use paths, or on mountain-biking/hiking trails.

Always ride safely, wear a helmet, and perform an ABC Quick Check on any bicycle before you ride. 

E-Bike v. E-Moto Comparison

This article is written by Go Georgia and supported by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and the Georgia Department of Transportation