NJ Legislature Poised to Pass Victim-Blaming E-Bike Restrictions - Streetsblog New York City

"New Jersey politicians want to require all e-bike riders have licenses, registration and insurance - citing several instances of drivers killing two-wheelers to justify making it harder for New Jerseyans to access the benefits of even the lowest-speed e-bikes. Introduced just last month by powerful Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D-Union County), the bill, S4834, already passed in committee in both the state Senate and Assembly and could come to a vote as early as Dec. 22."

"The focus on further regulating e-bikes comes after a year of high-profile Garden State crashes involving electric two-wheeled vehicles. But the crashes, which Scutari mentioned at an October press conference, involved e-bike users hit and killed by drivers: A truck driver struck and killed a 13-year-old boy on an e-bike in Scotch Plains, a driver hit and killed a 22-year-old e-bike rider in Orange and a teenage hit-and-run driver killed two teen girls in October."

"New Jersey, like New York and most of the country, defines e-bikes in three classes: Class 1 are pedal-assist bikes that go up to 15 miles per hour, Class 2 are bikes with a throttle that go up to 20 miles per hour and Class 3 are throttle or pedal assist that can get up to 28 miles per hour. In New York City, the max speed for Class 3 e-bikes is 25 miles per hour, though the city also has a 15 mph speed limit for all e-bikes, which Mayor Adams implemented this year."

Bill S4834 would require licenses, registration, and insurance for all e-bike riders in New Jersey and has passed committee votes in both the state Senate and Assembly, potentially reaching a full vote by Dec. 22. The measure was introduced by Senate President Nicholas Scutari following several high-profile crashes in which drivers struck and killed e-bike riders. Advocates warn the proposal could discourage cycling and note that the cited fatal crashes involved drivers hitting e-bike users and would be unaffected by the law. New Jersey defines three e-bike classes with varying top assisted speeds, and New York City has additional local speed limits.

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