Half more accidents involving electric bicycles: seniors receive free cycling lessons

But the higher speed also brings dangers. The Vlas police zone from the Kortrijk region is therefore organizing a free training course in its police station in Kortrijk. She focuses specifically on seniors.

“To feel more confident”

About ten seniors took part in the electric bicycle training course of the Flemish Foundation for Traffic Engineering and the Vlas police zone. They had their own reasons.

“To feel confident in traffic. I’m not used to the electric bicycle yet. I don’t cycle often because I’m afraid,” says Daniële Moreels.

– Do you notice that an electric bicycle may have more dangers than a regular one?

“Those bicycles are generally much heavier. We are no longer very handy at our age. We could do stupid things,” says Jan Laverge.

Number of accidents is increasing

The electric bicycle is still most popular among the elderly, but new figures from Vias show a strong increase among young people. The police zone may expand the target group, because accidents are also increasing here.

“If we look at those accident figures, we see a number of 28 in 2021, in 2022 there were already 43 and now this year we are already at 31,” says Thomas Detavernier of Vlas Police Zone.