E-Bikes Are Changing the Way We Travel and Bringing New Risks
As e-bikes become more common, serious injuries involving them are also drawing increased attention.
E-bikes have quickly become part of the transportation landscape in Philadelphia and communities across Pennsylvania. They offer a convenient way to commute, make deliveries, run errands or simply enjoy a ride without relying on a car.
But as e-bikes become more common, serious injuries involving them are also drawing increased attention.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, 28 bicyclists were killed in accidents across Pennsylvania in 2025, up from 19 the previous year. Twelve of those killed in 2025 were riding e-bikes. Nationally, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that emergency-room-treated injuries and deaths associated with e-bikes, e-scooters and other micromobility products have been increasing.
Understanding what makes e-bikes different, and the risks they bring, is increasingly important for riders, drivers and families.
E-Bikes Aren’t Quite the Same as Traditional Bicycles
An e-bike combines features of a conventional bicycle with an electric motor that can assist the rider. Under Pennsylvania law, a pedalcycle with electric assist generally must weigh no more than 100 pounds, have operable pedals, use a motor rated at no more than 750 watts and be capable of no more than 20 mph when powered by the motor alone.
Those capabilities can make e-bikes attractive to people who might not otherwise choose a bicycle for transportation. They can make longer trips or hills more manageable and have also become common tools for delivery workers.
Their speed and weight, however, can affect how riders interact with vehicles, pedestrians, and traditional bicyclists. A driver may see what appears to be a bicycle approaching an intersection without realizing how quickly it is traveling. An inexperienced rider may also underestimate the distance required to react or stop.
Why E-Bike Accidents Can Result in Serious Injuries
Unlike people traveling inside cars and trucks, e-bike riders have little physical protection when a collision occurs.
A crash can result in traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, fractures, internal injuries and other serious trauma. Collisions involving larger passenger vehicles or commercial trucks can be particularly devastating.
CPSC’s latest micromobility research underscores the risks. Its 2024 study estimated approximately 59,200 emergency-department-treated injuries involving e-bikes, including people riding an e-bike or struck by one.
E-bike crashes can happen in many ways, including:
- A car or truck turning across an e-bike rider’s path
- A driver failing to see a rider at an intersection
- A vehicle entering or blocking a rider’s travel lane
- A parked vehicle’s door opening into the rider’s path
- A rear-end or sideswipe collision
- A collision involving a pedestrian or another cyclist
- A mechanical or component failure that causes a rider to lose control
When the E-Bike Itself Contributes to the Accident
Not every serious e-bike injury begins with another vehicle.
As e-bike use has grown, federal safety regulators have identified hazards involving batteries, brakes, wheels and other components. In 2026, for example, CPSC warned consumers to stop using certain e-bikes after determining that their front wheels could detach without warning, creating a serious hazard.
Lithium-ion batteries can present a separate risk when defective, damaged or improperly manufactured batteries overheat or ignite.
When a product failure may have contributed to a serious injury, determining what happened can require an investigation of the bicycle and its components, maintenance and repair history, manufacturer information, applicable recalls or safety warnings, and other evidence.
Who May Be Responsible After an E-Bike Accident?
The answer depends on how the accident occurred.
A negligent driver may be responsible for striking an e-bike rider. If a commercial vehicle is involved, the driver’s employer or other companies may also need to be considered. A defective bicycle or component may raise questions involving a manufacturer, distributor or other entity in the product’s supply chain.
Some accidents involve more than one contributing factor or potentially responsible party.
That is why the circumstances surrounding a serious e-bike accident should be carefully investigated rather than assuming it is simply another bicycle or motor vehicle accident.
Evidence may include surveillance or traffic-camera video, vehicle data, cellphone records, witness statements, physical evidence from the scene, the e-bike itself and, in serious cases, accident reconstruction.
Sharing Streets Safely
E-bikes are likely to remain part of the way people move around Philadelphia and other cities.
Riders can help reduce risk by understanding the capabilities of their e-bike, following applicable traffic laws, using appropriate safety equipment and remaining alert to vehicles and pedestrians. Drivers should anticipate e-bike riders, check mirrors and blind spots before turning or changing lanes, and allow adequate room when passing.
Pennsylvania law generally gives people riding bicycles on the roadway the rights and responsibilities applicable to drivers of vehicles. State law also prohibits anyone under age 16 from operating an e-bike on a state or local highway.
For everyone sharing the road, one of the most important adjustments may simply be recognizing that today’s bicycle may travel differently than the bicycle a driver expects to encounter.
Injured in an E-Bike Accident?
E-bike accidents can raise complicated questions about how a crash occurred and who may be responsible. When serious injuries are involved, identifying and preserving evidence early can be particularly important.
The attorneys at Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky have extensive experience investigating and litigating serious transportation and product liability cases. If you or a family member has been injured in an e-bike accident, contact us for a free case evaluation.