Do Not Put Your Kid on an Electric Bike

In my review of the RadRunner, I noted that it was massive. An 80-pound child should not be riding a 60-pound motorized vehicle, no matter how fun it looks, no matter if you see other children doing it. They can’t. I pack a full 115 pounds of pure coordinated power, and even I have had close calls. Please don’t put your children at risk like this.

Too Hot to Handle

It’s true that children need to learn confidence and independence. My kids roller skate, scoot, skateboard, snowboard, and ride analog pedal bikes. They have fallen down, gotten injured, and will continue to do so. I’m teaching them how to do so, how to pull tricks, and how to navigate safely around cars and in our neighborhood by themselves.

But the injuries sustained from electric bikes are more likely to be more severe, with a higher chance of internal organ damage (like those that you might get from riding a motorcycle). Not only that, but younger riders on electric bikes are also more likely to injure other people, like pedestrians.

The link is pretty obvious. In Israel, electric bikes are limited to people 16 and older. In California and in many other states, you must be at least 16 to operate a class three electric bike—one that goes over 28 miles per hour. But as anyone who has ridden any kind of vehicle knows, 20 mph is pretty fast.

I reached out to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the gold standard when it comes to childhood safety recommendations. The organization would not go on the record, citing a lack of data concerning electric bikes and children, specifically. However, you can find that the organization’s record on motorized vehicles for children under age 16 has stayed pretty much the same since the 1970s. Motorized vehicles, especially adult-sized ones, just aren’t safe for children younger than 16 to operate. They simply do not have the physical, mental, or cognitive maturity to safely operate high-speed motor vehicles.

Slower Is Better

It’s fair to say at this point that I am a huge electric bike advocate. Electric bikes make it easier for so many more people to get out of their cars, reduce air pollution, stop killing kids in car accidents, stop at small businesses, say hi to our neighbors, and generally turn where we live into safe, walkable, thriving communities. I ride an electric bike daily.

But I also take my children’s safety seriously. And electric bikes are useful and powerful, but they’re not toys. If you’re going to ride an electric bike or put your loved ones on one, make sure that it’s properly maintained. Make sure that the brakes work and the chain is clean. And for the love of God, don’t put your small children in a large motorized vehicle they can’t properly control. Kids grow up so fast. It’s OK to take things slow once in a while.

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