The outgoing cabinet wants to introduce a helmet obligation for children up to the age of 18 who ride an electric bicycle or fatbike. That writes Minister Robert Tieman (Infrastructure and Water Management, BBB) on Thursday in a letter to the Lower House. He wants to send a proposal to the Chamber in 2026, after which the legislation could take effect in 2027.
Last year, the House of Representatives prefers a helmet obligation and a minimum age of 14 years for drivers of specific Fatbikes last year. This type of electric bicycle has quickly become more popular in recent years and is easy to increase. The proposal was to distinguish Fatbikes based on their weight of e-bikes.
This plan calls Tieman, who is based on independent research, “impracticable.” The distinction between Fatbikes and e-bikes is difficult to capture in rules, experts say. For example, if the thickness of tires is looked at, then that is expected that manufacturers will adjust their bikes in such a way that they fall just outside the definition of a fatbike.
In addition, Fatbikes are not demonstrably more unsafe than normal electric bicycles, the minister writes. They also do not demonstrably lead to more unsafe handling. That is why the measure will soon apply to all electric bicycles, if it is up to the outgoing cabinet. Tieman leaves in the middle whether he wants a minimum age.
No helmet
Knowledge Center SafetyNL had 96 people who were on a Fatbike last year and ended up after an accident at the Emergency Department. Almost half of the victims were between 12 and 15 years old. That same week, 480 victims of accidents with other electric bicycles ended up in the hospital. The vast majority of the victims did not wear a helmet. According to the knowledge center, accidents with e-bikes relatively often cause brain injury.
The outgoing cabinet says it is ‘worried’ about the figures. It is still being investigated whether it is useful to combat nuisance caused by electric cyclists with a ‘behavioral approach’. Manufacturers and sellers of e-bikes would meanwhile work on a quality mark, the minister is positive about that.
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