Copyright Wilmington News Journal
Motorized e-bikes have become increasingly common nationwide, and Wilmington might soon have laws on the books regulating them. E-bikes, e-scooters and mopeds have become some people's main way of getting around in dense urban centers where driving or having a car can be challenging. Delaware's largest and densest city could join the state in creating regulations for their speed and safety. Wilmington City Council member Zanthia Oliver, who represents the East Side, is proposing an ordinance regulating and classifying the vehicles. "We didn't have anything on the books, and I noticed an increase of e-bikes riding around everywhere," she said. What the Wilmington e-bike legislation would do What she is proposing falls in line with established state law. Her legislation classifies e-bikes and e-scooters into three categories: Class 1: E-bike equipped with a motor that provides assistance while pedaling up to 20 mph Class 2: E-bike equipped with a motor that exclusively propels the bike with a 20-mph limit Class 3: E-bike with pedals and motor assistance between 20 mph and 28 mph Low-speed e-scooters are motorized scooters that can ride up to 15 mph Her legislation allows anyone over the age of 7 to operate e-bikes in Classes 1 and 2. You can ride a Class 3 once you turn 16. You would also have to be 14 years older or more to ride an e-scooter. It also mandates helmets for anyone under the age of 18 and for anyone using a Class 3 e-bike. Helmets are recommended for everyone regardless of age or speed. The legislation also limits where in the city the e-bikes can ride. It prohibits bikes from cruising on sidewalks and from riding side by side. It would be illegal to carry more passengers than capacity and forces riding on bike pathways when possible. What does Delaware e-bike law require? State law for e-bikes is also relatively fresh, as e-bike and moped definitions were last signed into law in 2022, and laws defining e-scooter rides were signed in August. The e-scooter law signed this year also banned e-scooter rental companies, which were trendy nationwide. The state law precedes a trend of cities and towns looking for ways to regulate the e-bikes. Newark already had strict laws essentially banning e-scooters on public streets and property, further backed up by University of Delaware's ban on e-scooters and e-bikes on campus. Harrington is also discussing ways to restrict e-bike use. However, Newark City Manager Tom Coleman said Newark city staff will be seeking City Council direction on how their e-scooter law can match newly enacted state law, which he said the city and its police support. Oliver does not want these laws to be punitive and does not take a side for or against using e-bikes − she just wants the city to enforce safety. She said she sees a spike in their use when gas prices rise and among young people who work in the city and cannot afford a car. "If you run a red light and cause a collision, you're going to get in trouble," she said. Oliver said she wants to increase education around e-bike use and about the inherent danger of operating them at high speeds. She similarly wants schools in the city to give out cards that show diagrams of the legally required hand signals for turning left or right. Need for education, safety about e-bikes A 14-year-old boy was killed in Dover while riding as a passenger on an e-bike that hit the side of a school bus in September. State police said he was not wearing a helmet. About a month later, an electric bicyclist was killed in Middletown on Oct. 30 in a hit-and-run. James Wilson, executive director of Bike Delaware, said enforcement and education about the distinction between e-bikes and mopeds is essential to safety. SEPTEMBER DOVER CRASH Police identify 14-year-old boy killed in Dover e-bike and bus collision MIDDLETOWN E-BIKE CRASH Middletown bicyclist identified as victim in Oct. 30 fatal hit-and-run State law requires e-bikes and e-scooters to be labeled with the classification number, top assisted speed, and motor wattage of the electric bicycle, and require them to be printed in Arial font in at least 9-point type. It also prohibits tampering with the motor to go faster than its original speed limit. Mopeds can go faster than 28 mph, while e-bikes cannot. He said that vehicles that go faster than state-defined e-bike speed are being marketed as such, instead of being sold as mopeds. To ride a moped in Delaware, you need a driver's license. "They're being marketed to kids who cannot legally operate them," Wilson said. "So the problem is not the law; the problem is some combination of enforcement and education." Oliver said she has had productive conversations with the Wilmington Policed Department and trusts their skills in identifying which bikes are which. She wants to bring attention to e-bike safety and is confident in her legislation. It was given its first reading at the Nov. 6 City Council meeting and will be discussed at a committee meeting in the near future. Shane Brennan covers Wilmington and other Delaware issues. Reach out with ideas, tips or feedback at slbrennan@delawareonline.com.
