Short summary: E-bike and e-scooter crashes are up 28% in NYC this year. If a rider hits you, the insurance picture is generally murkier than a car crash. Who pays can depend on the rider, whether they were working a delivery job, and your own coverage. Treat it like a car crash and get advice before assuming there's nothing there.
If it feels like e-bikes and scooters are everywhere this summer, the crash numbers agree.
Through the third week of July, the city recorded 560 crashes involving e-bikes and 795 involving e-scooters. Both numbers are up 28% over the same period last year, according to reporting by amNewYork.
The pressure to do something is building. The city has already put a 15 mph speed limit on e-bikes. The City Council has been debating rules that would go further: registration, plates, and licensing for motorized two-wheelers.
Why these crashes are legally messy
When a car hits you, there's usually an insurance policy attached to the car, and New York's no-fault system generally picks up medical bills quickly.
When an e-bike or scooter hits you, the picture is murkier.
Who pays can depend on who the rider is, whether they were working a delivery job at the time, what coverage the rider or their employer carries, and what coverage you have.
Plenty of injured pedestrians are told "there's nothing there." Plenty of times, that turns out to be wrong.
What to do if a rider hits you
Treat it like a car crash
Call 911 and get a police report. Photograph everything: the rider, the bike, the scene, your injuries. Get names and numbers for the rider and every witness before they scatter. Our after-a-crash guide works for this too.
See a doctor the same day
Adrenaline hides injuries. The medical record from day one is what ties your injuries to the crash. If you need help finding care, we connect crash victims with licensed physical therapy across all five boroughs, free.
Get advice before you accept anything
Because the insurance path is genuinely confusing here, a free conversation before you sign or settle can change the outcome.
Questions New Yorkers ask us
What should I do right after being hit by an e-bike or scooter?
Treat it like a car crash: call 911 for a police report, photograph the rider and the bike, collect witness contacts, and see a doctor the same day even if you feel fine.
Who pays my bills if an e-bike rider hits me?
It generally depends on who the rider is, whether they were working at the time, what coverage they or their employer carry, and what coverage you have. Plenty of people are told "there's nothing there" and that turns out to be wrong. Get advice first.
Not sure where you stand after a crash? Get your free case review or call (888) 208-0529. A real person answers, 24/7.
Reporting: amNewYork and CBS New York. Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash.
