POLISTINA, GUARDIAN & SWIFT CALL FOR STRENGTHENING E-BIKE SAFETY STANDARDS

July 29, 2025

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP -- Following a local tragedy which resulted in the death of an Egg Harbor Township teen earlier this month, Senator Vince Polistina, Assemblyman Don Guardian and Assemblywoman Claire Swift (R-Atlantic), today called for strengthening safety requirements for e-bike operators.

“First and foremost, our condolences are with the Sullivan family in the wake of this unspeakable tragedy,” Senator Polistina said. “As we see an increased use of these types of electric bicycles, so too do we see an increase in accidents.”

Polistina explained that following the July 17th accident, the Legislative Office he shares with Assemblyman Guardian and Assemblywoman Swift received multiple inquiries from residents and local officials seeking explanation on the current e-bike laws and what legislative fixes could be introduced.

“After some initial research, it was clear that New Jersey does not offer proper safety instruction for these young riders,” Polistina added. “In working with the Office of Legislative Services, we are drafting a bill to create an operator’s safety course for Class I and Class II e-bike operators.”

Assemblyman Don Guardian added that e-bikes are far more dangerous than a manually pedaled bike and should be regulated more like scooters and mopeds. “These e-bikes have the ability to carry a rider up to twenty miles an hour, nearly twice the average speed of a traditional bike,” explained Guardian. “As the speed increases, so does the need for knowledge about how to safely operate an e-bike.”

“There are no other motorized vehicles that you can legally operate on land or on our waterways that do not require some type of certification or licensing,” explained former NJ Deputy Attorney General, Assemblywoman Claire Swift. “We do this to ensure responsible operation and keep everyone safe on the roads. We need to provide the same for our e-bikers.”

The legislative team is expecting the draft to be completed sometime in the next two weeks and plans to introduce it once the legislature reconvenes after the summer recess.