As New York City bicycle-accident attorneys, we question Mayor Eric Adams’s push to cap e-bike speeds at 15 mph. The proposal grabs headlines, but the data shows that speed-limited e-bikes aren’t what’s killing New Yorkers—multi-ton motor vehicles and policy inaction are.
What the Numbers Say
From January 2024 through May 2025 at least 16 fatal bike-related crashes occurred city-wide. Only one involved a cyclist striking a pedestrian. The rest were motorists striking cyclists or cyclists forced into harm’s way by car doors, trucks, or emergency vehicles.
Date |
Victim |
Bike Type |
Citi Bike |
Cause Category |
Specific Cause / Scenario |
At Fault |
2024-02-22 |
Cyclist |
Private pedal |
No |
Driver Error |
Truck left-turn hit-and-run |
Motorist |
2024-02-23 |
Cyclist |
Private pedal |
No |
Driver Error |
Speeding driver ran red light |
Motorist |
2024-02-27 |
Cyclist |
Citi Bike e-assist |
Yes |
Dooring + Driver Error |
Doored, then hit by passing car |
Shared |
2024-04-04 |
Cyclist |
Private (pedal) |
No |
Driver Error |
Truck “right-hooked” across protected lane |
Motorist |
2024-06-07 |
Cyclist |
Citi Bike pedal |
Yes |
Driver Error |
Box truck struck rider |
Motorist |
2024-08-19 |
Cyclist |
Private e-bike |
No |
Driver Error |
Box truck right turn into teens on e-bike |
Motorist |
2024-09-01 |
Cyclist |
Private pedal |
No |
Driver Error |
Drunk, unlicensed van driver |
Motorist |
2024-10-22 |
Cyclist |
Private pedal |
No |
Police Chase |
Fleeing pickup ran red light |
Motorist |
2024-10-30 |
Cyclist |
Private (pedal) |
No |
Emergency Vehicle |
FDNY pickup struck cyclist |
Motorist |
2024-11-02 |
Cyclist |
Private (pedal) |
No |
Police Chase |
Fleeing minivan ran red light |
Motorist |
2025-02-25 |
Cyclist |
Private (pedal) |
No |
Driver Error |
MTA bus turning through intersection |
Motorist |
2025-03-19 |
Cyclist |
Private e-bike |
No |
Driver Error |
Two cars in chain-reaction crash |
Motorist |
2025-03-21 |
Pedestrian |
Delivery e-bike |
No |
Cyclist Error |
E-biker blew stop sign, struck pedestrian |
Cyclist |
2025-04-19 |
Cyclist |
Private (pedal) |
No |
Emergency Vehicle |
FDNY fire engine ran red light |
Motorist |
2025-05-01 |
Cyclist |
Private e-bike |
No |
Dooring + Driver Error |
Doored, then run over by box truck |
Shared |

Totals (Jan 2024 – May 2025)
- Driver Error / Motorist at fault: 13 deaths
- Dooring + Driver Error (shared fault): 2 deaths
- Emergency Vehicle collisions: 2 deaths
- Police-chase crashes: 2 deaths
- Cyclist error: 1 death (pedestrian struck)
Why a 15 mph Cap Misses the Mark
- Motor-vehicle violence—not e-bike speed—is the killer. Thirteen of sixteen deaths were caused by drivers of vans, trucks, buses, or cars.
- Dooring remains lethal. Two fatalities started with a parked driver flinging a door open. No speed cap fixes that.
- High-speed police chases and emergency-vehicle protocols need reform. Two cyclists died because drivers—fleeing or on emergency runs—blew through red lights.
- Delivery workers will bear the burden. A blanket e-bike cap criminalizes low-wage couriers while leaving truck violence untouched.
What Will Save Lives
- Build the protected bike-lane network Mayor Adams promised. Paint alone isn’t protection; New Yorkers need concrete-separated lanes in every borough.
- Daylight intersections and end curbside parking at corners so cyclists aren’t hidden from turning trucks.
- Hold dangerous drivers accountable—especially for hit-and-runs, DWI, and dooring violations.
- Equip city and commercial trucks with side guards and better visibility tech.
- Re-evaluate NYPD pursuit policies that turn city streets into racetracks.
Lowering e-bike speeds to 15 mph may feel like action, but it’s a distraction. Let’s focus on the proven fixes that keep every New Yorker, cyclist, pedestrian, and motorist, alive.
Need legal help after a bicycle crash? Our team at Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf has recovered record-setting verdicts and settlements for injured cyclists and their families. Call 212-943-1090 for a free consultation.