E-bike close calls, head injuries demand stronger laws and enforcement

E-bikes have become a fixture on Daniel Island and the surrounding areas – speeding down streets, zipping across intersections, and carrying kids to and from school faster than ever. 

But behind the convenience and novelty lies a growing safety crisis that many residents see daily. 

I’ve watched children, some as young as 11 or 12, flying down our streets at 35 miles per hour, riding while FaceTiming friends, doing wheelies, ignoring stop signs, or darting into traffic without looking. We have been extraordinarily lucky that these close calls haven’t yet turned into tragedies. 

This issue isn’t about being anti-e-bike. It’s about being pro-safety. E-bikes are, in every meaningful sense, motor vehicles. Many models accelerate like mopeds and reach speeds comparable to low-speed motorcycles, yet they are often operated by children far too young to appreciate risk or read traffic conditions. 

Research backs this up: decision-making, hazard awareness, and impulse control simply aren’t fully developed in kids and early teens. Roads are not meant to be training grounds for 12-year-olds traveling at 30-plus mph. 

National data tells the same story. E-bike injuries have risen 293% in recent years, and head trauma cases have increased nearly 49-fold, according to studies published by the American Academy of Pediatrics and JAMA Surgery. 

NIH research shows the age group most commonly injured is 10 to 13 years old, many with internal injuries and hospitalization rates far higher than traditional bicycles. These aren’t scraped knees. They’re severe, preventable trauma. 

That’s why we are advocating for a common-sense community standard: a minimum age of 16 to operate an e-bike on public roads, sidewalks, or pathways, aligning e-bike use with the same safety logic applied to every other powered vehicle, including low-speed vehicles. If you’re not old enough to drive a car, you’re not old enough to ride a 35-mph electric motor vehicle through traffic, period. 

To reinforce the rule, we propose a simple enforcement mechanism: any minor caught violating it would receive a six-month delay in obtaining their driver’s license, as well as a $500 fine. For a teenager eager to drive, that’s a meaningful deterrent and a far more effective one than a nominal fine. 

Alongside that, parents should share liability. When a child repeatedly rides illegally or dangerously, parents must be accountable. Stiff fines will ensure involvement, oversight, and education at home. 

But regulations alone won’t solve the problem. Parents themselves need better tools and judgment, and fortunately, those exist. Apps like Life360, GeoZilla, and manufacturer-linked platforms such as Bosch eBike Flow allow adults to monitor speed, set geofenced boundaries, and receive alerts if a child rides too fast or too far. 

Some systems even allow speed limiting controls, preventing bikes from exceeding safe thresholds. These technologies give parents insight and control they’ve never had before. 

What should the city and state do? Adopt these clear and enforceable policies. No more ambiguous policies that are hard to understand and enforce. Speed limits based on different classifications of e-bikes simply don't work. 

This isn’t an attempt to ban e-bikes. It’s an effort to protect kids, pedestrians, drivers, and the character of our community. E-bikes are here to stay; the question is whether we manage them proactively or wait for the first fatality to force reactive change. 

For our children, the answer should be obvious. 

Scott Noonan is a Daniel Island resident leading community efforts for stricter e-bike regulations.