Electric bicycles (e-bikes) and electric scooters (e-scooters) have become increasingly popular among children and teenagers. These devices, often referred to more broadly as electric micromobility devices, give young riders a convenient way to travel around their neighborhoods, visit friends, or get to school. They’re essentially electric motorcycles being marketed like toys, but the fun factor might be outweighed by the responsibility and risk involved with these e-vehicles.
The growing popularity of e-bikes and e-scooters has raised alarming safety concerns. As more e-bikes and e-scooters become available, children have more chances to climb aboard.
The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that access to electric bikes and scooters has increased, and research continues to identify rising injury rates among young riders, with a 671% increase in emergency room visits related to e-bikes and e-scooters among children and adolescents.
These e-bike and e-scooter incidents raise questions about kids’ safety for parents, medical professionals, and personal injury lawyers alike.
What is Causing Serious Micromobility Device Crashes?
E-bikes and e-scooters can be fun and give children a way to enjoy time outdoors, but they also come with more responsibility and a higher risk of injury than people realize.
The increase in injuries can’t be attributed to a single factor. Instead, several risks can come together to make electric micromobility devices particularly dangerous for children.
Higher Speeds Create More Serious Injuries
E-bikes and scooters are designed to travel faster than traditional bicycles and scooters. Faster than young children and teens expect when hopping on.
The AAP explains that e-bikes are faster, heavier, and more powerful than traditional bicycles, increasing the potential severity of injuries when a child crashes. Falling from an electric bike or scooter going 15 or 20 miles per hour creates much higher forces than falling at slower speeds on traditional devices.
Children May Not Have the Proper Training or Experience
Operating an electric device requires more than simply knowing how to balance on two wheels. Before letting your child ride off on one of these devices, make sure they understand the rules of the road.
Young riders must be able to judge traffic, recognize obstacles, react quickly, control speed, understand braking distance, and make safe decisions around pedestrians and other vehicles. A 2026 AAP article cautions that younger children may lack the ability to adequately control speed and recognize environmental hazards such as motor vehicles and potholes.
Sharing Illinois Roadways with Larger Motor Vehicles
Many children ride e-bikes and e-scooters on streets where they are sharing space with cars and trucks. A collision between a child riding an electric scooter and a passenger vehicle can result in devastating injuries because oftentimes, the child riding the e-bike or scooter has little physical protection.
In one recent pediatric e-scooter study, approximately 10.8% of injuries involved collisions with moving vehicles. Falling from the scooter, however, was the most common injury mechanism.
Unsafe Riding Can Increase the Risk
Just like with traditional motorcycles, riders should take safety precautions. Everyone riding e-bikes or e-scooters should wear a properly fitted helmet and protective gear.
Children and teenagers may also be more likely to engage in behaviors that increase the chances of a crash, including:
- Riding too fast
- Failing to obey traffic laws
- Riding against traffic
- Carrying passengers
- Using their phone while riding
- Wearing headphones or earbuds
- Performing tricks or unsafe stunts
- Nighttime riding without adequate visibility
What Injuries Can Children Suffer in an E-Bike Crash?
Pediatricians and researchers have seen the trend of child e-bike and e-scooter injuries surging dramatically, with head and neck injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, prompting safety warnings from health experts. Research from the health data firm Truveta found that these injury rates rose 7.5-fold between January 2023 and May 2026.
E-bike riders tend to experience more serious injuries than those who crash on regular bikes and scooters due to their ability to reach higher speeds. E-bike injuries typically include severe head, face, and neck injuries, along with broken bones, internal bleeding, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, and even fatalities.
What Parents Should Know About Illinois E-Bike Laws?
As e-bike and e-scooter popularity continues to rise, Illinois lawmakers are constantly working to better protect our children. In August 2026, Illinois introduced a new law outlining new standards for where e-bikes and scooters can go, how fast they can travel, and who can operate them. This bill takes effect on January 1, 2027.
The bill classifies these devices as “electric micromobility devices” because they are lightweight, low-speed, and do not exceed 28 miles per hour. Specifically, this bill introduces an age restriction. For Class 1 pedal-assist bikes limited to 20 mph and Class 2 motor-powered bikes, operators must be 15 years or older. For Class 3 pedal-assist bikes that travel up to 28 miles per hour, operators must be 16 years of age or older.
Turn to Spiros Law If Your Child Is Injured in an Illinois E-Bike or E-Scooter Crash
The popularity of e-bikes and scooters isn’t slowing down, but with proper training and safety measures, injuries can be prevented. When a child is seriously injured in an e-bike or e-scooter wreck, parents may understandably want to know who can be held responsible. The answer depends on how the crash happened and who contributed to the child’s injuries.
The laws surrounding e-bikes and scooters can be confusing, especially as they continue to evolve and adapt to this growing mode of transportation. In Illinois, state law sets specific classifications and rules for electric bicycles and electric scooters, and local regulations may also apply until the new bill takes effect.
When an e-bike ride turns into a serious injury, our experienced personal injury lawyers at Spiros Law can gather evidence, explain your legal rights, determine who is negligent in the incident, and stand by your side every step of the way.
With offices conveniently located throughout Illinois in Champaign, Danville, Kankakee, and Mattoon, we’re ready to take on your case, so you don’t have to face recovery alone.
