As the city works to improve bike and pedestrian safety on the streets of Kingston, police and traffic safety experts say they’re facing a new challenge: fast-accelerating e-bikes that can go upwards of 30 mph, often being operated by teens too young to ride them under state law. The result has been a steady drumbeat of crashes involving e-bikes, most recently on Sept. 11 when two teens riding a two-wheeled electric vehicle suffered serious injuries after colliding with a car near the Kingston traffic circle.

“The main problem is speed and rate of acceleration,” said Brian Slack, Deputy Director and chief transportation planner at the Ulster County Planning Department. “That speed just automatically attracts young inexperienced riders and when you combine those factors, it’s a recipe for disaster.”

Electric-powered bikes and scooters have exploded in popularity in recent years as part of a trend toward “micro-mobility” in urban areas. Traffic safety experts say that when properly regulated and safely operated the technology provides options for people who for whatever reason cannot or do not want to drive a car. The city itself has encouraged the use of micro-mobility systems. Kingston Police routinely patrol on e-bikes and city officials have even explored the possibility of bringing in a vendor to operate a CitiBike-style e-bike rental system. But, like any new technology, traffic safety experts say, e-bikes are experiencing growing pains as regulations, education and enforcement lag behind sales.

“All of our traffic laws, the most likely way any of us are going to interact with police, came about because when cars showed up on the scene people we’re like ‘these things are death traps, you’ve got to do something’,” said bicycle safety advocate Rose Quinn, who sits on the Ulster County Traffic Safety Board. “And now we’re kind of in the same place with e-bikes.”

E-bikes come in three classes, only two of which are legal outside the five boroughs of New York City. On Class-One models the motor only runs when the rider is actively peddling. Class-Two bikes have a hand-throttle that allows the motor to run without peddling. Both classes have a top speed of 20 mph. Class-Three bikes are only legal in New York City and have a top speed of 28 mph. Any two-wheeled electric vehicle with a top speed above 28 mph is classified as an “e-moto” and are restricted to off-road use everywhere in New York State.

But experts say a lack of education on the subject and lack of regulation of e-bike manufacturers and dealers mean that e-bikes and e-motos of all classifications can be seen on city streets. In addition, many e-bikes have easy-to-override speed-limiting technology and a quick google search will turn up step-by-step instructional videos on how to “jailbreak” most models to exceed the 20 mph limit.

“If you want to ride a class B or C moped that goes 20-30 mph you need a motorcycle license,” said Slack. “And it requires hours of training in class and in the field before you’re allowed to operate those vehicles; that’s not the case with e-bikes.”

Among the most glaring gaps in most Kingstonians’ knowledge of e-bike regulation is a state law that strictly prohibits their use by anyone under the age of 16. Despite the prohibition, children of middle school age or younger on e-bikes have become a common sight on city streets. Experts say many parents are not aware of the law and assume that because their children’s friends are riding them, the e-bikes must be age appropriate. Quinn said that as the holiday shopping season approaches, county government and schools should be actively educating parents on the age restrictions on e-bikes.

“The Traffic Safety Board is recommending that the County Executive really be quite aggressive with that message because it’s pretty clear cut,” said Quinn. “If your 12-year-old is asking for an e-anything that moves on two wheels, they can’t have it, it’s illegal; it’s that simple.”

As state and federal regulations lag behind the exploding popularity of e-bikes, some municipalities are taking steps to improve e-bike safety. The Town of New Paltz has implemented a local law that requires 16 and 17-year-old riders to wear helmets. Albany County is weighing a package of new regulations and prohibitions on e-bikes, while deploying city police to aggressively crack down on unsafe riding and illegal e-motos. New Jersey meanwhile has introduced special licensing and registration requirements for 15 and 16-year-olds on Class-Two bikes and treats e-motos the same as motorcycles. In New York State, lawmakers are considering a bill that would address the issue at its source by prohibiting the sale of e-bikes that exceed 20 mph, while New York City has gone after online retailers who ship illegal e-bikes to addresses there.

In Kingston, Police Chief Egidio Tinti acknowledged that unsafe e-bike operation was becoming more of a problem, one that the city’s dedicated traffic enforcement unit is working to get a handle on. Tinti said that the unit had conducted targeted education and enforcement efforts in response to complaints about reckless e-bike operation. Tinti added that the traffic unit was digging through accident reports to try to get a handle on how many accidents on city streets involve e-bikes (Slack said that state lawmakers had recently approved updated crash reporting forms that placed e-bikes in their own category). Tinti said that along with enforcement, prevention of e-bike crashes required more public education as well as drivers doing their part by remaining alert, sharing the roadway, and yielding to e-bikes when required.

“The department will continue working with City officials and community partners to identify locations of concern and determine whether additional education, roadway improvements or enforcement would improve safety,” said Tinti in an email to Kingston Wire. “Our goal is not to discourage the lawful use of e-bikes. It is to make sure everyone — e-bike riders, bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists — uses our streets safely and responsibly.