New York City lawmakers have announced plans to consider a package of 17 bills aimed at improving the safety of electric bicycles and scooters amid a rise in fatal crashes involving these vehicles. The City Council, led by Speaker Julie Menin, is set to hold a hearing on September 30 to review the proposed legislation and assess current enforcement practices.
The push for new regulations follows several recent incidents, including the death of 17-year-old Gabriel Nacato, who was riding an illegal high-speed e-bike when he collided with an SUV near City Hall last week. City officials report that e-bike and scooter fatalities have steadily increased in recent years, outpacing deaths from traditional bicycles despite a citywide 15 mph speed limit for these devices implemented last October.
Among the bills proposed is legislation that would ban the retail sale and rental of Class 3 electric bikes, which can exceed speeds of 20 mph and often come equipped with throttle control. This measure, sponsored by Council Member Crystal Hudson, targets the faster, more powerful e-bikes that have drawn particular concern from safety advocates. Other bills seek to require third-party delivery companies to register with the city’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, enhance data collection on delivery drivers, and increase penalties for riders who flee the scene of crashes, as outlined by Council Members Lynn Schulman and Gale Brewer.
Additional proposals include the creation of a task force to study street design improvements and demands for greater transparency from the New York Police Department regarding traffic enforcement statistics. Council Majority Leader Shaun Abreu emphasized that the changes aim to clarify regulations to protect all road users, including pedestrians, casual riders, and delivery workers.
Advocates for stricter regulation support measures that would curb the sale of high-speed e-bikes and improve oversight of the delivery industry, which has been criticized for incentivizing risky behavior among workers. Transportation Alternatives director Ben Furnas backed the 20 mph speed limit, calling it appropriate for urban streets.
However, some critics caution that certain proposals could disproportionately affect delivery riders, many of whom are immigrants. The Worker’s Justice Project expressed concerns that registration requirements for e-bike users could increase law enforcement interactions and lead to unintended social consequences. Speaker Menin responded that the legislation focuses on placing responsibility on delivery apps rather than penalizing individual workers.
Meanwhile, the city’s executive branch has thus far taken a more cautious stance. Mayor Zodhran Mamdani said he is reviewing the specifics of the proposed bills and emphasized the importance of removing illegal and unsafe vehicles from the streets. He noted challenges in enforcement given the availability of high-powered e-bikes for purchase online and cited the need to prevent consumers from mistakenly believing such devices are street-legal. In March, his administration halted the issuance of criminal summonses against e-bike riders for minor traffic offenses, a move that has sparked debate over public safety enforcement.
Data from the Department of Transportation shows that between 2017 and 2025, over half of e-bike and e-scooter fatalities involved vehicles capable of exceeding the speed limits. This year alone, there have been 12 e-bike deaths and 9 e-scooter deaths, compared with three fatalities involving traditional bicycles.
The upcoming City Council hearing will include testimony from officials across the city’s transportation, public safety, and consumer protection departments. Lawmakers anticipate robust discussion as they seek to balance public safety, worker protection, and the evolving needs of urban mobility on New York’s busy streets.