TUESDAY, Sept. 21, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Zipping, zooming electric bikes have become a fixture on the streets and sidewalks of America’s neighborhoods, but most parents say they don’t know much about them, a new survey says.
Only 6% of parents say they’re very knowledgeable about e-bikes, while about two-thirds say they know little to nothing about them, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.
What’s more, nearly half of parents also say they don’t know where e-bikes are supposed to be ridden, the survey found.
“E-bikes offer families a new way to get around, but they also introduce safety considerations that parents, riders and communities need to understand,” Sarah Clark, co-director of the Mott Poll, said in a news release.
“Knowing the rules of the road, choosing an e-bike that’s appropriate for the rider and using basic safety precautions can go a long way toward reducing the risk of injury,” Clark said.
Concern is growing that e-bikes pose a hazard to the safety of both pedestrians and the children riding them, given that the battery-powered bikes can reach speeds of up to 28 miles per hour.
For example, e-bike injuries have more than tripled in San Diego as the devices have become more popular, according to a study presented in March at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Children in e-bike accidents were four times more likely to sustain an injury to their arm or leg compared to those riding conventional bicycles, researchers found. They also had three times the rate of broken bones in their accidents.
However, in the new poll, parents showed support for e-bikes, with only 1 in 10 supporting a complete ban.
Instead, parents favored practical steps to make e-bikes safer, including helmet requirements; clear labeling with minimum age for different types of e-bikes; better markings to show where e-bikes can be ridden; age restrictions for the most powerful models; and safety training.
“Parents aren’t saying, ‘get rid of e-bikes.’ They’re saying, ‘Help us figure out how to use them safely,’ ” Clark said. “E-bikes have arrived faster than the public guidance around them, and parents are being asked to make safety decisions without having the information they need.”
About 1 in 3 parents say someone in their family has used an e-bike, including 1 in 5 who report a teen has ridden one, the poll found. Fewer than 1 in 10 (8%) said their pre-teen has ridden an e-bike.
More than half of parents said they see e-bikes often in their community, while just under a third see them occasionally.
Parents noted several benefits to e-bikes:
Half found the bikes provide transportation when a car isn’t available.
Just under half see them as a source of fun.
45% said they can help get children outside and active.
More than one-third said they provide teens greater freedom.
But parents also are aware of the safety concerns surrounding e-bikes.
About 4 out of 5 (82%) admitted they pose an injury risk to riders; 3 out of 5 (62%) say they pose a risk to pedestrians; and more than half (56%) worry about drivers who aren’t used to seeing e-bikes on the road.
Parents see e-bikes as carrying more risk than traditional pedal-powered bikes, with two-thirds (65%) saying they are more dangerous for a typical teen, the poll found.
However, parents rated e-bikes about as safe or safer than driving a car, skateboarding or riding an ATV.
“Our poll suggests that parents don’t view e-bikes as uniquely dangerous but as another activity where safety depends in part on how and where they’re used,” Clark said.
“Parents show strong support for policies and regulations that could lead to safer and more appropriate use of e-bikes and approaches that give families practical guidance about the risks and how to help kids and teens ride safely,” she said.
The new poll involved 1,234 parents with at least one child ages 11 to 18, and was conducted in July. The margin of error is plus or minus 1 to 3 percentage points.
More information
AAA has e-bike safety tips for kids and adults.
SOURCES: University of Michigan, news release, Sept. 16, 2026; University of Michigan, Mott Poll Report, Sept. 21, 2026
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