RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WGNS News) - Electric bicycles have surged in popularity across the country, transforming from a niche commuting alternative into a neighborhood staple for some teenagers. While these battery-assisted bikes offer an exciting way for youth to get outdoors, medical professionals are reminding parents these are not the pedal-powered bikes they grew up with... That was Dr. Brady Allen, an Emergency Medicine physician at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford.

Accidents on e-bikes can be severe, with some injuries mirroring the severity of motorcycle crashes rather than traditional bicycle falls. Because modern e-bikes can effortlessly propel riders to speeds exceeding 25 miles per hour, a simple neighborhood joyride can quickly turn catastrophic, especially when young riders navigate busy streets without proper safety gear...

Despite warnings - and laws requiring bicyclists under age 16 to wear helmets - Dr. Allen says local emergency rooms still see young patients injured in bicycle accidents while riding without one... The Tennessee Child Bicycle Safety Act requires all bicycleand e-bike riders under age 16 to wear a helmet while riding on any street or sidewalk.

To combat this rising tide of emergency room visits, safety experts urge parents to treat e-bikes with the same caution as motorized scooters or mopeds. Children and teens should be required to wear heavily reinforced helmets—ideally those rated for high-speed impacts rather than standard bicycle helmets—and receive proper training on traffic laws before being allowed on main roads. As municipalities scramble to update sidewalk and bike lane regulations to account for these heavy, high-speed vehicles, the immediate responsibility falls on families to ensure their kids understand that with electric speed comes a very real, physical danger.

Tennessee law also requires children weighing less than 40 pounds or measuring less than 40 inches tall to be properly secured in a bicycle child-restraint seat or in a pull-behind bicycle trailer while riding with a parent or guardian.

E-BIKES and LAWS in TN: Believe it or not, there are also laws surrounding e-bikes in the State of Tennessee... Tennessee law divides electric bicycles into three categories based on how the motor operates and the maximum assisted speed:

A Class 1 electric bicycle provides motor assistance only while the rider is pedaling, and the assistance stops at 20 mph.

A Class 2 electric bicycle can be propelled by the motor without pedaling, but the motor cannot provide assistance at 20 mph or faster.

A Class 3 electric bicycle provides assistance only while the rider is pedaling, and that assistance stops at 28 mph.

Under Tennessee law, an electric bicycle must have two or three wheels measuring at least 20 inches in diameter, working pedals, and an electric motor rated at less than 750 watts. It must also meet the requirements of one of the three classifications.

• Read all the details surrounding bike laws, helmet laws and e-bikes by Clicking HERE.
• Listen to our recent interview with Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford for More Details.