State Sen. Felder Wants to Require Every Legal Vehicle on NYC Streets to Be Insured

     To protect the rapidly rising number of New Yorkers who are injured by riders of bicycles, e-bicycles, and electric scooters, Sen. Simcha Felder has proposed a new law that would require those riders to buy the same minimum liability insurance that New York state law requires of drivers of cars and other motor vehicles.

     State Sen. Felder’s legislation would ensure that victims of accidents that result with every legal mode of transportation would be provided with the financial coverage that is necessary to pay their pricy medical bills.

     New York City has seen 588 electric scooter accidents that injured 538 people and killed three pedestrians just since 2020.

     Emergency department data from 2000 to 2017 shows that 17% of e-bike accident victims suffer internal injuries, and that even e-bike accidents that occur at low speeds are likely to cause critical head and neck injuries, cerebral concussions, internal injuries, nerve damage, broken bones, facial trauma, and back injuries.

     The purpose of New York’s No-Fault Insurance Law, Sen. Felder explains, is to restore health and productivity as quickly as possible to anyone who is hurt in auto accidents.

     “However, people currently injured by a bicycle, e-bike or e-scooter have no protection at all,” said state Sen. Felder, whose new bill joins his previous bundle of four other bills that aim to create more safety on the roads.

     For instance, Sen. Felder’s first two bills require all New York City cyclists, bikers, and e-scooter rides of all ages wear helmets and to affix license plates on two-wheel vehicles.

     In addition, Sen. Felder’s two other bills require riders of wheel vehicles to take safety pre-licensing courses and then to obtain mandatory bicycle licenses before venturing out on the city streets.

     “When somebody gets hurt,” said state Sen. Felder, “‘Sorry,’ doesn’t cover it.”