(Photo: Sheldon Police Chief Eric Meinecke — KIWA Staff Photo)
Sheldon, Iowa (RI/KIWA) — Northwest Iowa cities and towns are dealing with e-bikes and scooters more than ever. Some towns have put ordinances in effect. Some are relying on education to limit crashes and near-misses, and some are taking a wait-and-see approach.
Sheldon Police Chief Eric Meinecke spoke at the most recent Sheldon City Council meeting when asked about scooter and e-bike enforcement. He says the local police have had a lot of complaints about them.
Meinecke says it’s something he thinks Sheldon is going to have to look into.
City council members also said that when they look into this matter, they should also decide if e-scooters and e-bikes should be allowed on Sheldon’s rec trails.
Meanwhile, a University of Iowa study offers new perspectives on accidents involving electric bicycles. The report reviewed some 200 other studies and found no clear evidence that e-bike riders crash more often than traditional cyclists, but it doesn’t mean e-bikes are safer. Study author Amir Ghanbari concluded many e-bike crashes are single-vehicle events, but when crashes do happen, e-bike riders tend to be more seriously hurt.
There are several potential reasons for that, he says, including that e-bikes can go faster than traditional bikes, they’re heavier, and riders are often ill-prepared for their power.
Another possible factor in the higher rate of injuries is that he says e-bike users often don’t wear the safety gear that’s common among traditional bike riders.
Solutions he suggests include better infrastructure like well-designed bike lanes, clearer regulations, and more rider education. Ghanbari is a PhD student in the University of Iowa’s Department of Epidemiology.
