Take a trip on South Coast Highway through Encinitas and you’ll find a number of e-bike riders making the same trip. What they don’t know is that their heads may not be as protected as they think.
Experts say there are no standards specifically for these riders who typically wear regular or reinforced bicycle helmets.
As far as e-bikes go, they’re split into three categories. According to California law, Class 1 and 2 reach lower speeds and riders under 18 are required to wear a helmet. Class 3 e-bikes go faster and all riders must be 16 or older and must wear a helmet.
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Enjoying a walk down this part of the city was 17-year-old Jack Grasso. He would like an e-bike. His mom Tracy is not so sure it’s a good idea.
“My mom thinks it’s very dangerous so I would be a bit cautious about it because I’ve heard of stories of people getting really hurt,” Grasso said.
“It’s scary with your kids, and with drivers on the road, I’m just not sure," his mom said.
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Both said they were quite shaken when they heard about the recent e-bike accident in Encinitas that killed 14-year-old rider Brodee Champlain-Kingman. The tragedy has spurred a closer look at e-bike safety by parents, the city and some of the shops that sell them.
“We’re looking to help ensure that the kids are safe,” said Brian Ruehl who works for Magnun Electric Bikes in Encinitas.
He said safety is a big part of the conversation with riders, especially new ones looking to buy or rent one of their e-bikes.
“People are realizing that electric bikes are not just for sport or a toy, but it’s actually good for transportation, to go from point A to point B, so they’re choosing a helmet over the car keys,” he said.
So let’s focus on the helmet. Ruehl said there are only a few that he trusts enough to put on his own kids when they go riding with him. He likes those with Multi-directional Impact Protection System (MIPS) technology. He explains it absorbs energy in a crash as the helmet rotates independently from the head.
“The real issue is when your brain impacts the inside of your skull and that’s what’s causing the concussion, it’s the brain sloshing around inside the skull,” said Ruehl as he stands in front of various helmets sold in his store.
He said the better helmets should include lights that could be visible by motorists and they should definitely be brightly colored.
But experts NBC 7 Responds spoke with recommended skipping regular or reinforced bike helmets and opting for ones designed for motorbikes instead.
They said bike helmets may not offer enough protection for e-bikes, which can go up to 28 miles per hour.
“Some research needs to be done on-field just to distinguish how do e-cyclist injure themselves versus the more traditional non-e-cyclists,” said Dr. Mark Begonia who works at the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab specializing in helmet ratings.
He said manufacturers and e-bike users are asking if the industry needs a helmet classification specifically for their riders.
“We’re still trying to get there to the point where we can actually fund something that then says, 'OK, let’s officially look at this now,'” he said.
“The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission sets the stands for bike helmets. They told NBC 7 Responds that they recommend moped or motorcycle helmets for e-bike riders.
Hon Zhang from the Snell Foundation, which since 1957 has established helmet standards and certifications, said the current standards are not enough and wants to make it clear to riders which helmet they should be reaching for.
“This standard requirement by the government for the bicycle and the motorcycle does not address the e-bike community’s needs,” she said. “More head protection for this special group of people and current head gear available in the market inadequately protects them, and they need to look out for their own safety among existing products.”
The standard requirement by the government for bicycle and motorcycle (helmets) does not address the E-Bike community's needs
Hong Zhang, The Snell Foundation
The Netherlands has established a helmet certification for e-bicyclist. Zhan said the only way this will happen in the United States is if riders and companies decide it’s worth the research to come up with a unique and official e-bike safety certification.
“It needs to meet consumer acceptance and the manufacturers need to make a profit,” she said.
Until that happens, Jack and his mom may still need to iron out a few safety concerns before investing in an e-bike.
