New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin announced a sweeping package of 17 bills targeting dangerous e-bikes and electric scooters after collisions surged 32% this year, leaving victims dead and in comas across the five boroughs.
Deadly Trend Sparks Emergency Action
E-bike and electric scooter collisions have exploded in New York City, with over 500 crashes reported so far in 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. The spike includes a fatal Queensboro Bridge crash in May that killed both an electric scooter rider and a cyclist. Just last week, a 17-year-old boy died after ramming his e-bike into an SUV near City Hall. Another recent Central Park collision left a 43-year-old jogger in a coma for four weeks.
Jessica Selano, whose sister remains hospitalized after being struck by an e-bike rider while jogging in Central Park, testified in support of the proposed measures. Her sister cannot remember her own name or recognize family members most of the time and faces multiple operations ahead. The healthy mother who jogged twice daily now faces a grueling recovery with permanent cognitive damage likely.
New Rules Target Delivery Apps and Illegal Bikes
The proposed legislation takes aim at third-party delivery companies and high-powered electric bicycles. Queens Councilwoman Lynn Schulman sponsored a bill requiring delivery apps to register with the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, giving the city enforcement tools against reckless delivery drivers. Manhattan Councilwoman Gale Brewer introduced measures requiring apps to collect detailed driver information and track their movements throughout the city.
Another Brewer-backed bill increases penalties for hit-and-run incidents involving e-scooters and adds e-bikes to existing laws. Councilwoman Crystal Hudson pushed legislation prohibiting the sale and rental of Class Three electric bicycles, establishing civil penalties up to $2,000 for violations. Brooklyn Councilman Lincoln Restler proposed requiring delivery services to verify that worker mopeds carry proper registration before hitting the streets.
Enforcement Controversy Looms
The Council’s aggressive push faces potential resistance from Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration, which recently ended NYPD criminal summonses for e-bikers and cyclists over deportation concerns affecting immigrant delivery workers. Speaker Menin acknowledged existing laws already regulate e-bike use but emphasized enforcement failures, announcing a comprehensive legislative review and major oversight hearing scheduled for September. Mamdani responded with vague comments about addressing illegal vehicles, offering no commitment to supporting the Council’s crackdown on dangerous riders terrorizing pedestrians and traditional cyclists across the city.