E-bikes are drawing more scrutiny as concerns grow about their safety.
As calls grow for more e-bike safety, the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office released information Wednesday to make the public aware of e-bike, e-scooter, bicycle, pedestrian and motor vehicle laws.
E-bike safety has drawn more scrutiny following Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian’s close call recently with two young e-bike riders who were traveling down the wrong side of the road and ran through a red light.
Gillian said he narrowly avoided hitting and possibly killing the e-bike riders with his vehicle only by “the Grace of God.”
In July, a 14-year-old boy was killed in a collision between his e-bike and a car in Somers Point.
Citing his frightening near-miss and the 14-year-old’s tragic death, Gillian has been pushing for more e-bike restrictions to protect the safety of teenagers and other e-bike riders. He has also written to Gov. Phil Murphy to ask for the state’s help.
Cape May County Board of Commissioners Director Leonard Desiderio, who is also the mayor of Sea Isle City, plans to discuss e-bike safety during an Aug. 22 meeting with local mayors.
Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian wants more help from the state for e-bike safety.At the state level, Assemblyman Antwan McClellan, who represents Cape May County, is supporting a bill sponsored by Assemblywoman Linda S. Carter that would require all e-bikes to be registered with the state Motor Vehicle Commission and to be insured.
However, the proposed legislation would not require low-speed e-bike riders to have a driver’s license.
“If it’s approved and enacted, the bill would not be a cure-all for all the safety issues surrounding e-bikes,” Gillian said in a statement. “But it would achieve a couple important things: 1) It would provide a mechanism for law enforcement to more easily identify e-bikes and riders who violate the law, 2) Because only individuals age 17 or older can register a vehicle, it would require an adult or near-adult to be accountable for any young rider.”
The draft legislation is currently being considered at the committee level. If advanced, the measure could be voted on by the state Legislature in the fall and take effect in 2026, Gillian said.
In the meantime, the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office has compiled a list of laws governing e-bikes, e-scooters, bicycles, pedestrians and motor vehicle traffic to improve public awareness. The laws follow:
