Electric bicycles have become increasingly common on Texas roads, bike lanes, neighborhood streets, and shared-use paths. E-bikes can make commuting and transportation easier, but riders remain vulnerable when they share the road with cars, trucks, and other vehicles.
When an e-bike crash occurs, the injuries can be serious. Riders do not have the protection provided by a passenger compartment, airbags, or seat belts. A collision can result in broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, road rash, or permanent disability.
Understanding what causes e-bike accidents and who may be responsible is an important first step for injured riders.
Common Causes of E-Bike Accidents in Texas
E-bike crashes can happen for many of the same reasons as traditional bicycle accidents. However, the speed and characteristics of electric bicycles can create additional circumstances that drivers and riders must navigate.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is one of the most common dangers facing cyclists and e-bike riders.
A driver looking at a phone, adjusting a GPS, eating, or otherwise diverting attention from the roadway may fail to see an approaching e-bike.
Because e-bikes are smaller than cars and motorcycles, a distracted driver may not notice a rider until it is too late to avoid a collision.
Failure to Yield
Drivers may fail to yield when turning across a bike lane, entering an intersection, pulling out of a driveway, or entering a roadway from a parking lot.
An e-bike rider who has the right of way can still suffer severe injuries when a motorist fails to recognize the rider’s presence.
Unsafe Turns
Right and left turns are particularly dangerous for cyclists.
A driver turning across an e-bike rider’s path may misjudge the rider’s speed or fail to check a bike lane before turning. The resulting collision can throw the rider directly onto the pavement or into the vehicle.
Dooring Accidents
A driver or passenger who opens a vehicle door into the path of an approaching cyclist can cause a serious crash.
These accidents can happen along busy streets where parked vehicles line the roadway. An e-bike rider may have very little time to avoid an unexpectedly opened door.
Speeding and Aggressive Driving
Speed reduces the amount of time a driver has to recognize and avoid an e-bike rider.
When a speeding vehicle strikes a cyclist, the force of the collision can substantially increase the severity of the resulting injuries.
Poor Road Conditions
Not every e-bike accident is caused by another driver.
Potholes, debris, defective pavement, inadequate lighting, or dangerous roadway conditions can also contribute to a crash. Depending on the circumstances, another person or entity may potentially bear responsibility for creating or failing to address a dangerous condition.
Texas Law Gives E-Bike Riders Rights on the Road
Texas law specifically provides that provisions governing bicycles generally apply to electric bicycles as well. Texas Transportation Code Section 551.002 states that provisions applicable to bicycles also apply to electric bicycles unless the provision cannot apply to an electric bicycle.
Texas Transportation Code Section 551.101 also provides that a person operating a bicycle generally has the rights and duties applicable to a driver operating a vehicle, subject to bicycle-specific rules.
That means an e-bike rider is not automatically at fault simply because they were riding an electric bicycle when a collision occurred.
Who May Be Responsible for an E-Bike Accident?
Liability depends on the facts of the crash. Potentially responsible parties can include:
- A negligent motorist
- A commercial truck or delivery driver
- Another cyclist or e-bike rider
- A property owner in certain circumstances
- A government entity responsible for a roadway, when the legal requirements for such a claim are satisfied
- A manufacturer or seller if a defective product contributed to the crash
An investigation may be necessary to determine exactly what happened.
What Should You Do After an E-Bike Crash?
If you have been injured in an e-bike accident, try to preserve evidence as soon as possible.
Take photographs of the scene, your e-bike, the vehicles involved, roadway conditions, visible injuries, and any traffic signs or signals. Obtain contact information from witnesses and seek medical attention for your injuries.
Do not assume that a minor-looking injury will remain minor. Some traumatic injuries can become more apparent after the initial crash.
Talk to a Texas E-Bike Accident Attorney
If another person’s negligence caused your e-bike accident, you may have the right to seek compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages.
At Hildebrand & Wilson, LLP, we represent injured e-bike riders throughout Pearland, Houston, Harris County, Brazoria County, Fort Bend County, and surrounding Texas communities.
If you were injured while riding an electric bicycle, contact Hildebrand & Wilson, LLP to discuss your legal options.