E-bike riders are reportedly more prone to injuries compared to traditional bike riders. The report was published by VeiligheidNL, a Dutch organization that is focused on injury prevention.
Despite the conclusion, the organization admitted that more research is needed to know the causes behind the injuries.
E-Bike Injuries are Increasing
One of the safest countries for bikers is The Netherlands, as the country has a preponderance of infrastructure created to keep bikers separated from vehicle traffic.
Bicycle safety is also taught at an early age, and a lot of cities have enjoyed bicycle-first cultures for years.
Nevertheless, the report stated that e-bike riders in the country were 1.6 times more likely than ordinary bike riders to end up injured and sent to the emergency room, compared to twice as likely for racing bikes and three times for mountain bikes, according to The Verge.
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The percentage of injured e-bike riders was also higher, by 36%, compared to 2016, which was only 19%. E-bike riders are usually aged 12 to 17 years old, and they are especially at risk of an emergency visit, accounting for 22% of victims versus just 4% in 2016.
Women who are 55 years old and above are also vulnerable, making up almost half of all e-bike victims, which is around 47%.
Overall, the report concludes that the main culprit in all regular and electric bicycle injuries was the rider's behavior, which is around 44% of cases, while road conditions as the reason behind the injuries only make up 32%.
The majority of the accidents affected only the e-bike rider. Around two-thirds of the 110,000 traffic victims treated in Dutch hospitals in 2021 were cyclists, according to VeiligheidNL. The survey was done with hospitalized riders from 2020 to 2021.
Bicycle sales exploded globally during the peak of the pandemic, bringing new riders onto roadways for the first time, and most of them are new to e-bikes.
The Netherlands has more bikes than people, as e-bikes accounted for 52% of all bicycles sold in 2021 alone. That is an increase of 29% in 2016 and 15% in 2021, according to the RAI Association.
More electric bike riders explain the increase in e-bike injuries.
Percentage of E-Bike Injuries
In 2021, around 582 people died in traffic accidents in the Netherlands, considered the lowest level since 2015. That is 207 on regular bikes, 175 in cars, and 80 on e-bikes, according to CBS.
Overall, 22 fewer cyclists were killed in traffic accidents in 2021 compared to 2020.
Another suspected reason why the number of injuries has increased lately is that many companies manufacturing these e-bikes are bypassing the speed limit of 25km per hour or 15.5 mph imposed by the European Union.
The protected bike lanes are now congested because of the increase in bicycle usage. Also, the Dutch do not wear helmets when using bikes, whether traditional or electric.
Even the most vulnerable users like the children and the elderly do not wear helmets. The Dutch government is not keen to change it anytime soon.
Although the number of injuries to e-bikes is higher, New York City legalized e-bikes in 2020.
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Written by Sophie Webster
