In September 2021 we conducted an e-bike safety statistics survey using Google Surveys to identify how dangerous electric bikes are, what makes e-bikes dangerous and the conditions and surfaces where riders feel safe riding their e-bikes.
Question #1: How dangerous is an electric bike?
According to respondents 23.6% find e-bikes are “least dangerous”, followed by 17.2% who believe they are slightly more dangerous than average. The majority of respondents consider electric bikes to be low danger.
| E-Bike Danger Rating | Percent of Respondents |
| 1 (least dangerous) | 23.6% |
| 2 | 8.3% |
| 3 | 9.4% |
| 4 | 8.7% |
| 5 | 11.0% |
| 6 | 17.2% |
| 7 | 7.9% |
| 8 | 3.7% |
| 9 | 2.6% |
| 10 (most dangerous) | 7.6% |
Question #2: What makes an electric bike dangerous?
High speed was considered the primary factor that makes an e-bike dangerous, according to 31.2% of respondents. This was followed by Difficult to control at 12.3% and Vibration at 10%.
A large percentage of respondents felt that none of the items listed contributed to the danger of an electric bike. We left out getting shocked or electrocuted, which is a potential risk of e-bikes.
| E-Bike Danger Factors | Percent of Respondents |
| High speed | 31.2% |
| Difficult to control | 12.3% |
| Vibration | 10.0% |
| Motor strength | 7.3% |
| Stability | 2.9% |
| None of the above | 47.3% |
Question #3: Riding an electric bike is more dangerous than:
With this question we had respondents place an e-bike on a spectrum of danger with other modes of transportation.
| Riding an e-bike is more dangerous than: | Percent of Respondents |
| Walking | 36.2% |
| Running | 24.6% |
| Driving a car | 20.9% |
| Skateboarding | 10.6% |
| Riding a motorcycle | 9.0% |
| Riding an electric scooter | 7.1% |
| None of the above | 34.4% |
Question #4: What weather conditions is it safe to ride an electric bike in?
Respondents overwhelmingly (71.6%) believe it’s safe to ride an e-bike in sunny weather. Just 8.2% think riding an e-bike in the rain is safe.
| Safe weather to ride an e-bike | Percent of Respondents |
| Sun | 71.6% |
| Wind | 15.4% |
| Fog | 11.8% |
| Rain or Sleet | 8.2% |
| Snow and Ice | 7.9% |
| None of the above | 23.5% |
Question #5: What surfaces can you safely ride an electric bike on?
66.3% of respondents believe it’s safe to ride an e-bike on the street or asphalt. 53.4% think it’s safe on a sidewalk or concrete. 40.8% consider riding an e-bike safe on wood such as a boardwalk. Only 8.6% of respondents think riding an e-bike on snow or ice is safe.
| Safe surfaces to ride an e-bike | Percent of Respondents |
| Street / Asphalt | 66.3% |
| Sidewalk / Concrete | 53.4% |
| Wood / Boardwalk | 40.8% |
| Dirt / Gravel | 22.0% |
| Mud | 10.8% |
| Snow / Ice | 8.6% |
| None of the above | 17.5% |
Survey Methodology
Our survey was conducted using Google Surveys and included male and female respondents of all ages and income distributions located in the United States.
