(cover photo: E-bikes are being allowed on this week’s RAGBRAI (Radio Iowa photo)
(Radio Iowa) – A University of Iowa study offers new perspectives on accidents involving electric bicycles. The report reviewed some 200 other studies and found no clear evidence e-bike riders crash more often than traditional cyclists, but it doesn’t mean e-bikes are safer. Study author Amir Ghanbari concluded many e-bike crashes are single-vehicle events, but when crashes do happen, e-bike riders tend to be more seriously hurt.
There are several potential reasons for that, he says, including that e-bikes can go faster than traditional bikes, they’re heavier, and riders are often ill-prepared for their power.
Another possible factor in the higher rate of injuries is that he says e-bike users often don’t wear the safety gear that’s common among traditional bike riders.
Solutions he suggests include better infrastructure like well-designed bike lanes, clearer regulations, and more rider education. Ghanbari is a PhD student in the U-I’s Department of Epidemiology.
