As the presence of e-bikes has increased exponentially in recent years, so has the number of deaths associated with them. Which is particularly worrying, because this time it’s not about traffic accidents.
In New York, sudden e-bike explosions have caused 114 fires since the start of the year, resulting in 74 injuries and 13 deaths. That’s why consumer groups and firefighters are now calling on US authorities to create national safety standards to ban e-bikes powered by unsafe, low-quality batteries.
Eric Adams, the mayor of New York, has been sounding the alarm for months: “Concrete steps are needed, not only at the state level, but also at the federal level,” he said.
Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand have also joined the chain of alarm: The two senators have introduced a bill that would establish mandatory safety standards for e-bikes and the batteries that power them. They hope that stricter safety regulations and compliance tests will prevent tragedies from battery failure.
Source: edition.cnn.com
Main image: informnny.com
