Local Municipalities Toughen Laws For E-bike Usage

Drive anywhere across Western New York and you are likely to encounter riders zipping past you on an e-bike. Last year we shared a legal alert discussing the rise in injuries related to e-bike usage, specifically that more than 8,000 emergency room visits related to e-bike injuries were logged in 2023, and many of those were exacerbated by a decrease in helmet use. Two local municipalities have recently amended their local laws to crack down on illegal e-bike use and make their citizens (and e-bike riders) safer.

In East Aurora, the Town Board voted to amend the local laws to allow police to seize an e-bike driven by a rider under the age of 16 (in line with the New York State age requirements). The new law would require parents to pay an escalating fee for the return of the impounded e-bike, beginning at $50 for a first offense and rising to as much as $250 or the eventual seizure of the bike.