E-bike injury claims rise

E-bike-related ACC claims have risen five-fold in five years and last year cost more than $4 million.

The 60 to 74-year-age group was the highest for e-bike-related injury claims.

That’s according to a Stuff report which especially studies off-road e-bike accidents.

It says Wanaka cyclist and Black Peak Cycles owner Doug Hamilton says the higher number of e-bike claims is not just due to e-bike popularity but also the age of some riders, skills, and the type of e-bike taken off-road.

Data shows 60 to 64-year-olds had the highest crash rate nationwide, with 161 claims in 2021, the latest year with available data. This was closely followed by 65 to 69-year-olds with 151 and 70 to 74-year-olds with 143 claims, Stuff explains.

It adds that ACC statistics show spinal and back injuries are more common for e-bike riders than any other type of bike, relative to the number of claims.

In 2018, 353 injury claims were made by e-bike riders, compared to 1790 in 2022, which cost nearly $4.2m.

Stuff says claims for general mountain bike injuries have decreased, and all other bike injuries have increased at a much slower pace.

ACC figures show the number of e-bike injury claims in Otago has risen over the past five years from about nine to 84 in Central Otago, and 10 to 89 in the Queenstown Lakes District, it adds.

In Auckland city, e-bike injury claims rose from 88 to 250 in the same period.

Stuff says ACC injury prevention leader James Whitaker reckons new e-bike riders should take a course, like those covered by EVs and Beyond.

“They’re very different to traditional bikes. Practise in a quiet spot without traffic until you’re feeling more confident.

“E-bikes can go pretty quickly so start slowly then ease into it instead of going flat out too soon.”