The popularity of electric bicycles in Hawaii is undeniable.

E-bike riders, frequently children, can often be seen zooming along public streets, sidewalks, parks and thoroughfares. Sometimes they pop wheelies as they whiz past pedestrians or as they intermingle with motorists operating much larger vehicles on island roadways. Many young riders sometimes pack another on a single e-bike.

Many underage e-bikers also can be seen without helmets.

Fast-moving e-bikes include more serious dangers too, including injury and death, frequently impacting younger riders. The City and County of Honolulu recently reported the alarming trend of 180 e-bike crashes in the first nine months of 2024.

The state Department of Health asserts the average number of reported e-bike incidents statewide more than doubled from an average of 10 per month in 2022 to 24 per month in 2024. Oahu experienced a nearly threefold increase, from an average of seven per month in 2022 to 19 per month in 2024, the data indicates.

Oahu also accounted for 75% of the statewide e-bike incidents, with most of the injured patients — 65% — transported by city Emergency Medical Services ambulances to local hospitals, according to DOH.

Helmet usage among e-bike riders has steadily declined too, during the study period, from 51% in 2022 to 29% in 2024, the data shows.

Under Hawaii law, all kids under age 16 must wear a helmet while riding a bicycle. A person must be at least 15 years old to ride a “low-speed electric bicycle” registered to an adult household member.

To prevent further injuries or fatalities, the Honolulu City Council and the state Legislature have either adopted or advanced new legislation dealing with stricter e-bike regulations.

At the state Capitol on Friday, Rep. Darius K. Kila (D, Honokai Hale-Nanakuli-Maili) highlighted two e-bike bills that have passed out of the House Committee on Transportation but await further committee reviews.

House Bill 184 would require operators of low-speed e-bikes to possess a valid driver’s license, instruction permit or provisional license.

Likewise, HB 958 would require all e-bikes to be operated only with all wheels on the ground at all times, with certain exceptions.

HB 958 would also prohibit a person riding a Class 3 e-bike — one equipped with a motor that ceases to provide assistance when it reaches a speed of 28 mph — on a sidewalk. And the same bill would prohibit a person from operating a bicycle or electric foot scooter under the age of 18 without a helmet.

“As chair of the House Committee on Transportation and as the area representative of an infrastructure-impacted community on Oahu, I remain committed to improving the safety, efficiency, and accessibility of Hawaii’s roadways,” Kila said in a statement.

“Advancing these measures out of our committee is a crucial step in addressing concerns surrounding road safety, vehicle regulations, and the evolving landscape of transportation technology,” he added. “Additionally, we are establishing regulations for electric bicycles to promote responsible use while encouraging sustainable transportation options.”

The Council has also acted on greater e-bike regulation in Honolulu. During its Jan. 29 meeting, the panel voted unanimously to adopt Bill 52, which now requires helmets for those who ride e-bikes and seeks to stop unsafe riding practices while operating the machines.

The bill currently awaits the mayor’s potential approval.

If approved, the measure will prohibit “the operation of bicycles equipped with motors exceeding 750 watts from being operating on ‘any public street, highway, alley, path, or trail, including a bikeway.’”

The measure also prohibits wheelies.

Bill 52 states e-bikes must be “operated with the bicycle’s wheels facing forward and in contact with the ground, and with the operator seated with one leg on each side of the seat, with exceptions for brief instances caused by road surface or other circumstances beyond the operator’s control.”

It also prohibits an individual from operating an e-bike in “an unsafe manner,” or while engaging in exhibition driving on any public street, highway, alley, path, trail, or other public right-of-way, with “exceptions for exhibition riding as part of a parade, tournament, or other activity permitted by the city.”

Before the Council’s vote, Eduardo Hernandez, appearing on behalf of the Hawaii Bicycling League, testified in full support of Bill 52.

“This bill helps to strengthen the environment for safer, more sustainable and more affordable transportation,” he said. “And it sends a strong message to state lawmakers, transportation stakeholders and the public that we are continuing to examine statutes and regulations and make updates to reflect emerging technologies that are increasingly popular with consumers.”

Hernandez noted Bill 52’s primary focus was on e-bikes powered by motors exceeding 750 watts. “And that had not been clear in statute,” he said.

“Those types of devices lead to a lot of injury because of their high speed.”

Kaneohe resident Donald Sakamoto testified that as a blind person he wished Bill 52 included requirements for “some kind of bell or noise” to be installed on e-bikes.

“Because as a blind individual … it’s very difficult to hear these vehicles,” he said. “The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland advocated (for) automobiles to have sound — even electric vehicles — so that we can hear them.”

Sakamoto urged the Council to amend the bill to include similar language for e-bike riders to have audible bells on their machines. “Because once they get their license for the (e-bike) and buy it, who reads the manual?” he added.

At the meeting, Council member Augie Tulba queried the Honolulu Police Department on whether Bill 52 will actually help police “crack down on illegal behavior like wheelies.”

Maj. James Slater, with HPD’s Traffic Division, said current city laws allow for such actions.

“When I was District 6 commander in Waikiki, we made some headlines on HPD cracking down on e-bikes,” he said, adding those efforts solely applied to e-bikes. “I think there’s a misconception that when you see these things that look like dirt bikes popping wheelies on the roadway (at) high speeds, those are not e-bikes.

“Those are electronic dirt bikes or electric motorcycles,” Slater explained. “So they would be subject to other statutory (laws), which we are able to enforce and remove from the streets.”

Tulba also asked whether the helmet provision of Bill 52 helps HPD with e-bike enforcement too.

“Yes,” Slater replied. “It’s an extra tool.”

Tulba later said, “As we all know, e-bikes have been a huge concern in all of our communities for some time.

“Although this bill does not address everything we are hoping to fix, with regards to e-bikes, I believe this gets us closer to our goal of safe streets for all,” he said.