SALT LAKE CITY — An e-bike may be on your child’s holiday wish list this year, but before you make the big purchase, those at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital want to remind parents of important safety tips.
Intermountain said they've seen a sharp rise in e-bike-related injuries. According to the American College of Surgeons, there has also been an uptick in e-bike related injuries nationwide. Their report said that head injuries are the most frequent injuries, but only a third of injured patients were reported to have been wearing a helmet.
At Salt Lake eBikes, owner Alya Hopkins and her staff help educate those looking for the perfect ride, especially during the holidays.
“Everybody’s geometry is different; they’re comfortable on different bikes, so it’s important to test drive a bunch of different things,” Hopkins said.
One of the most important things, Hopkins added, is to be aware of the different classes of bikes.
“Class one only assists up to 20 mph, class two has a throttle, class three assists up to 28 [mph], so if they’re a kid, I would definitely keep them in the class one,” Hopkins said.
Trauma data from Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital shows a 66.7% increase in e-bike-related injuries among children and teens in the past year. That data includes children as young as eight years old.
“There are laws here in Utah, and I realize not a lot of parents understand these," said Michelle Jamison, the community health program manager for Intermountain Children’s Health. "If you’re driving a class three e-bike, you have to be 16 to do that. Not all parents know that and they’re letting their young kids ride them, and their reaction time just isn’t there."
She added that with higher speeds, they’ve seen more severe injuries.
“It’s not just a broken arm, but they’re coming in with traumatic brain injuries, longer ICU stays. It’s increased injuries because of the speed of these e-bikes,” Jamison said.
As the holidays approach, Jamison and Hopkins know an e-bike could be on many wish lists, but they advocate that proper education and a helmet will be a great addition.
“Always wear a helmet, a good helmet. Lights on bikes are good, even if you’re not riding in the dark, even in the day, more visibility is better, so with that being said, those reflective vests are good. The biggest thing are cars not being able to see bikers,” Hopkins said.
Intermountain Children’s Health shared the following information on e-bike laws:
- Under 8: Cannot legally ride e-bikes.
- Under 14: Cannot operate Class 2 e-bikes, whose motor helps up to 20 mph, without adult supervision.
- Under 16: Cannot operate Class 3 e-bikes, whose motor helps up to 28 mph.
- Helmets are required by Utah law for riders under age 21 on Class 3 e-bikes.
- Electric motorcycles are not allowed on streets or sidewalks, and require a license and insurance.
