E-bike safety concerns grow after fatal crash

NEW HANOVER COUNTY (WWAY) — New safety concerns are emerging following a recent fatal e-bike crash in Monkey Junction, as officials and advocates point to a broader rise in injuries and deaths tied to electric bicycles.

Authorities say 24-year-old Athanasios Papoulias was fatally struck by a pickup truck Tuesday night while attempting to turn onto a service road near IHOP on Carolina Beach Road.

The crash comes as e-bike-related incidents continue to increase nationwide. Data shows more than 20,000 injuries each year in the United States are tied to e-bikes. Between 2017 and 2022, at least 104 deaths were linked to e-bike use, with men accounting for roughly 82.5% of injuries.

Safety advocates say the speed and growing popularity of e-bikes are contributing factors.

Eileen McConville, head of the Terry Benji Foundation, is working with the city of Wilmington to promote bike safety, including adding warning signage along trails shared by cyclists and pedestrians.

“Educating bicyclists that when you’re on a trail, you are not going to be going as fast as you would be on a road,” said McConville.

The city has also released an etiquette guide for e-bike riders, encouraging them to yield to pedestrians, keep right and pass on the left, announce when passing, and monitor their speed on multi-use trails.

“Generally, trail etiquette requires a bicyclist to go more slowly and be aware of the fact that there are folks walking dogs, pushing carriages, doing whatever they want to do,” said McConville.

McConville said local cycling groups are also stepping in to improve safety conditions.

“We also have members of Cape Fear Cyclists, in the next month, are going to ride the Gary Shell Cross City Trail, identify some not well-marked intersections, and ask the city of Wilmington to put directional signage at those intersections to make more people more comfortable following that trail in its entirety,” said McConville.

Statistics note that while e-bikes can travel faster than traditional bicycles, riders are less likely to wear helmets. Combined with higher rates of head trauma in e-bike crashes, this can make injuries more severe and incidents more dangerous.