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AGENCY TESTIMONY
E-bike enforcement strategies and legislative reform needs
0:12:56
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152 sec
Commissioner Tisch details the NYPD's approach to e-bike enforcement and the need for legislative reform to address the challenges posed by e-bikes in New York City.
- Emphasizes that all vehicles must follow basic rules of the road
- Explains why previous enforcement methods using B summonses were ineffective for e-bikes
- Introduces the use of cease summonses returnable to criminal court for certain hazardous offenses
- Calls for legislative reform to create a new paradigm for biking enforcement
- Presents statistics showing that e-bike enforcement is a small part of overall traffic enforcement
- Highlights that e-bike collisions are the only vehicle collision category increasing year-to-date
Jessica Tisch
0:12:56
In fact, it is not about crime at all.
0:12:59
It is about improving quality of life, being responsive to community complaints, and fixing the very real issues people are dealing with every day including out of control e bikes.
0:13:10
Every person is obligated to follow the very basic rules of the road.
0:13:14
When it comes to traffic safety, compliance is optional.
0:13:18
We will not tolerate e bikes driving recklessly, running red lights, ignoring stop signs, driving on the sidewalk, and riding against traffic.
0:13:26
Residents have consistently raised fears about serious injury or worse.
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And this enforcement initiative is in direct response to those clear concerns.
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And the enforcement looks different now for one simple reason.
0:13:38
Our previous approach wasn't working.
0:13:41
B summonses returnable to traffic court are part of a regulatory framework designed for licensed car drivers.
0:13:49
If you ignore a B summons you have your license suspended.
0:13:52
If
Michael Lipetri
0:13:53
you are
Jessica Tisch
0:13:53
a menace on the roads and accumulate enough points on your license it will be suspended.
0:13:58
None of this makes any sense for e bikes because a license is not required to operate one.
0:14:04
So instead for certain hazardous offenses we are issuing cease summonses returnable to criminal court.
0:14:11
This is the option available to the NYPD under the current law.
0:14:15
And we are eager to work with the council and the state legislature on a new meaningful paradigm for biking enforcement.
0:14:24
But I want to be clear.
0:14:25
Far from being a war on e bikes, this enforcement initiative is designed to keep these vehicles as a viable and sustainable transportation option in New York City.
0:14:36
There is a desperate need for legislative reform to keep pace with the reality on the streets.
0:14:42
And to the extent that has not happened yet, it has created dangerous conditions.
0:14:48
The NYPD is responsible for keeping people safe consistent with the law and we will continue to do so.
0:14:54
In 2025 the NYPD has issued nearly 251,000 summonses to cars versus about 5,100 summonses to e bikes.
0:15:04
So clearly this initiative is only one part of our larger effort to ensure safe streets for all New Yorkers.
0:15:11
Work that is saving lives.
0:15:13
This year traffic fatalities are down twenty four percent and collision injuries are down twelve percent.
0:15:18
And every vehicle type collision category is down year to date with one exception and that is e bikes.
0:15:26
The NYPD depends on the public trust.