Lawmakers in Springfield passed legislation this week regulating high-speed electric bikes, e-scooters and other battery-powered devices that are fueling an uptick in emergency room visits.
The bill awaiting Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature would classify e-bikes and e-motos that travel over 28mph as motor vehicles starting Jan 1, 2027, and subject those riders to the state’s drunk driving laws.
Owners of those devices would be required to have a drivers license, carry insurance and register their vehicle with the state. The devices would be prohibited from going over 28 mph, and would not be allowed on bike paths or lanes.
The bill, introduced to the public in January by Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, fills a gap in the state’s vehicle code that has not addressed the rising popularity of powered micromobility devices.
“Some of the devices on the market today resemble motorcycles more than they do traditional bicycles, and travel more than 50 mph and operate in a legal gray area,” Giannoulias said in a news conference Thursday at Lurie Children’s Hospital.
The devices are faster and more dangerous than traditional bicycles.
Last week, a bicyclist and e-scooter rider both died after colliding on a protected bike lane in New York City. The scooter was capable of going 53 mph.
Last year, a 16-year-old boy riding an e-bike was fatally struck by a vehicle in Arlington Heights.
Many children are suffering life-altering injuries after crashing e-bikes, said Kristine Cieslak, section chief of pediatric emergency medicine at Lurie Children’s Hospital.
Many parents buy e-bikes for their children without realizing how dangerous they are, she said at the news conference.
“It’s simple physics,” she said. “The faster you ride, the faster you fall.”
Giannoulias said the bill regulates high-speed e-devices but “strikes the right balance” by continuing to allow the current three classes of low-powered e-bikes that stay below 28 mph.
Owners of those devices are not required to register or insure them, according to the bill. But the bill does add age minimums.
Riders of Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes, which go up to 20 mph, must be at least 15 years old, according to the bill. Riders must be at least 16 years old for Class 3 e-bikes, which go up to 28 mph.
A spokesperson for Pritzker would not say if he intends to sign the bill into law.
“The Governor will carefully review everything that comes across his desk once received by the Illinois General Assembly and before signing,” the spokesperson said in an email.