Cars kill 7,000 pedestrians, dwarfing 135 e‑bike deaths
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- CNN displayed a chart showing U.S. e‑bike and e‑scooter deaths have hovered around 135 per year in recent years.
- Cars kill roughly 7,000 pedestrians annually in the United States, about fifty times the combined e‑bike/e‑scooter fatality count.
- Roadway fatalities from automobiles exceed 40,000 each year in the United States.
- PeopleForBikes offers a free e‑bike rider‑education program throughout May Bicycle Month to improve rider safety.
- High‑visibility hand‑held flags have been installed at crosswalks in some U.S. cities to make pedestrians more visible.
- E‑bike manufacturers sometimes sell high‑powered electric motorcycles that blur the line between bicycles and motorcycles, raising safety concerns.
Why it matters: By highlighting that cars cause roughly 7,000 pedestrian deaths each year—about fifty times the 135 e‑bike fatalities—policymakers and safety groups can refocus resources on vehicle‑related safety measures, potentially saving thousands of lives, while the e‑bike sector avoids disproportionate regulatory pressure.
