- Illinois Governor Pritzker in the US has signed a new e-bike regulation bill and the strict laws will come into effect from January 1.
- E-vehicles traveling faster than 28 miles per hour will now be considered motor vehicles and drunk driving laws will apply.
- For the safety of children, a minimum age limit has been fixed for riding e-bikes and e-scooters, and vehicle registration is mandatory.
Governor of the state of Illinois in the United States J. B. Pritzker recently signed into law a new e-bike regulation bill aimed at curbing accidents caused by the rapidly growing use of e-bikes and e-scooters in the state. The use of e-bikes and motorized micromobility devices, especially among children in the US, has led to a dramatic increase in the number of children going to the emergency room for treatment. According to a study, between 2023 and 2026, there has been a 7.5-fold increase in the number of children seeking treatment for injuries caused by such devices.
The new law maintains three categories of e-bikes, with speeds limited to 28 miles per hour. However, e-bikes, e-motos, e-scooters, electric unicycles and electric skateboards that can travel at a speed of more than 28 miles per hour will now be officially classified as 'motor vehicles'. Interestingly, from January 1, drivers driving these speeding vehicles will face action under the state's Drunken Driving laws.
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Owners of these high-speed vehicles have been made mandatory to have a driving license, take out insurance and register the vehicle with the state. Also, driving these vehicles on cycle paths or certain cycle lanes will be strictly prohibited. Its main purpose is to eliminate the different local regulations and apply uniform regulations throughout the state of Illinois.
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Apart from this, the law has also fixed age limit norms for the safety of children. According to:
- Riders of Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes with speeds up to 20 miles per hour must be at least 15 years of age.
- The minimum age for Class 3 e-bikes with speeds up to 28 miles per hour is 16 years.
- E-scooter users with a 15 mph limit must also be at least 16 years of age.
Governor Pritzker's office explained that these rules will provide greater clarity to parents, drivers and law enforcement agencies in the interest of the general public. Also, it will go a long way in preventing serious accidents involving children and will strengthen safety on roads and cycle paths.