> "The authors analyzed emergency department data collected from 2000 to 2017 by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), on injuries involving all three types of vehicles."
> "While people riding e-bikes were more likely to suffer internal injuries and be hospitalized compared to the other riders, powered scooter users had higher rates of concussion. E-bike injuries were also more than three times as likely to involve a collision with a pedestrian than either scooter or traditional bike injuries, the researchers report in the journal Injury Prevention."
Hence, this is why I recommend an airbag vest. While bones can heal, other things cannot.
Probably its caused by e-bikes being far more popular amongst the elderly. Here, in the Netherlands, typically only the elderly ride on e-bikes.
Also, e-bikes allow the rider to go far faster than they would normally do. Probably more fair to compare moped vs e-bike (and corrected for the age of the driver).
But, I should point out that your two paragraphs contradict each other, via logic.
Also, I have a physical disability due to a 2 rare immune mediated neurological diseases affecting my peripheral nervous system. Somehow, I have reflexes in both my ankles and knees. The emphasis is on somehow.
Unfortunately, the people that can often benefit the most from an E-Bike are frequently the ones who probably shouldn’t be using one. It is not just neurological impairment, either.
There are kits to convert your bike into an E-Bike, which I imagine can be used for handbikes, which is good news, as it is a lot safer. The problem is that it definitely cannot be taken on public transport.
In that case, the best option is a manual wheelchair (often paid for by national/public/private health insurance) with a Batec Electric Cycle [1] that attaches to the wheelchair. Still, a full helmet (covering jawline) and a wheelchair seatbelt would be advisable.
The e-bikes I've ridden had much better brakes and wheels than regular bikes too.