MARBLEHEAD, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) —E-bikes are the latest trend for young commuters, and as they increase in popularity, there is still a huge grey area when it comes to regulation. Local officials in Marblehead say enough is enough.
Some members of the Marblehead Traffic Safety Advisory Committee are recommending parents do not give e-bikes as Christmas gifts to their children this year. During its meeting on Monday, the committee discussed a series of e-bike crashes across the state this year, including a crash in Stoneham that left a 13-year-old boy dead.
“It’s bad enough the kids aren’t wearing helmets when they ride their regular bikes. Now that they’re on bikes that go much faster, they’re riding them in the middle of the road, often they have their cell phone on, and e-bikes aren’t really designed for that kind of riding,” Marblehead Cycle owner Dan Shuman said.
Along with road and gravel bikes, Shuman's store sells e-bikes that can get up to 20 mph.
"I think they’re great for transportation. They’re great for getting around quickly. I don’t really like them for kids,” Shuman said.
He also believes there should be license tests e-bikes. “Drivers Ed or some kind of permitting should be required for kids if they’re going to ride them,” Shuman said.
Meantime, the Commonwealth's Special Commission on Micromobility is expected to release a report with potential guidelines on how the state should regulate e-bike usage.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Jay Willett (@JayWillettWBZ) reports.