E-bikes are the new Wild West. New York State must lead.

Advances in technologies often occur faster than communities can react or governments can regulate. Artificial intelligence is the latest iteration that is outpacing regulation to protect the public, but it’s not the only one.

It took until Jan. 1, 1968, for the nation’s first federal safety standards for motor vehicles to take effect, even though by then there were already about 100 million gas-powered vehicles on the roads.

We can’t tolerate the same decades-long delay with e-bike safety.

Micromobility devices including e-bikes and e-scooters are useful inventions gaining in popularity but are in need of comprehensive regulations to improve public safety, for users and pedestrians alike.

‘WILD, WILD WEST’

Lacking specific, clear and distinct regulations from New York State, municipalities have enacted laws to address problems government officials see in their communities. Places like Riverhead, Long Beach and both Nassau and Suffolk counties have been among them, leading to a dizzying array of regulations that cause consternation rather than make uniform and effective safety improvements.

Transportation safety experts are calling for action. Robert Sinclair, senior manager of public affairs for AAA Northeast, told the editorial board he is pushing for state lawmakers to comprehensively address the licensing and registration of micromobility devices in the next session.

“I’m sure it will be high up on their agenda, and we’re doing the best we can to let them know something needs to be done and be done quickly,” he said.

Noting the issue’s importance to many across the state and country, Sinclair said the need for sweeping improvements will be front and center at his organization’s upcoming annual Community Traffic Safety Awards in September.

This is “the reality and we’re going to have to deal with” the increasing use of e-bikes and e-scooters, he said.

“It’s the Wild, Wild West, especially with these little scooters that in some cases go 20 mph. It’s too much.”

The current piecemeal approach isn’t meeting safety needs because it prevents a driving, unified and coherent message from echoing across the state and reaching parents, riders, motorists, school leaders and law enforcement.

There are a host of improvements experts in travel, public safety, law enforcement and business can suggest, as well as needed input from parents and e-bike riders themselves. New York should convene public hearings throughout the state soon to get suggestions to guide future legislation.

But that can’t cause unnecessary delays to an already delayed process.

Micromobility devices like e-bikes and e-scooters must be clearly defined by class and applied statewide. The current classifications help but aren’t updated or applicable to every region.

Next, lawmakers must ensure the three E’s remain the priority — education, engineering and enforcement. E-bike riders and in many cases their parents, elected officials and police must be educated about rules and safety. Micromobility devices must be engineered to reduce risks with strict safety requirements implemented. And thorough laws must be enforced to assure compliance and ultimately safety for all on the roads and sidewalks.

EDUCATION, TRAINING NEEDED

As always, cost is something that can’t be ignored. The state must set aside money to improve training and education — of parents, riders and law enforcement officials — to avoid unfunded mandates.

The weekly reports of e-bike riders in serious and sometimes fatal accidents flood social media feeds. Local officials adopt rules in response, but without statewide guidance and oversight, lawful e-bike riders are confused, and scofflaws continue to thwart the system.

State Sen. George Borrello, an upstate Republican, has two of several bills that were put on hold by the legislature last session. Introducing his two bills in February, Borrello said the state is behind the curve.

“Electric mobility devices have become a common part of daily travel, but our laws haven’t kept pace with the rapid growth of this technology,” he said in a news release.

There are many people who legally and safely rely on micromobility devices for improved quality of life. Any new laws must continue to allow them to use their e-bikes while cracking down on illegal and dangerous use.

Stony Brook Children’s Hospital Pediatric Trauma Center said it has seen a “significant and alarming increase” in e-bike injuries among kids. Their experts have released guidance for parents. And the New York City Council is considering as many as 17 bills to further regulate e-bikes to improve safety.

That’s evidence of a patchwork of laws and advice filling the void left by the state.

New York State raced to implement a 12-month moratorium on hyperscale data centers before the legislative session ended, and Gov. Kathy Hochul put one in place through an executive order. The State Legislature and governor need the same willpower and sense of urgency in the next session to make e-bikes safer for riders, pedestrians and other motorists.