The Jiangsu People’s Congress has passed new regulations making the use of helmets by e-bike riders and passengers mandatory.
The Electric Bicycle Management Regulations, which will go into effect on 1 July 2020, is the first provincial law in China mandating e-bike rider helmet use with penalties for breaches, since China implemented new e-bike standards in April 2019.
According to the new regulations, if the rider or passenger of an e-bike fails to wear a safety helmet, the Traffic Management Bureau will issue a warning or a fine of between RMB 20 and RMB 50.
Delivery and express companies will also have to take responsibility for their employees’ safety when using e-bikes, for example, by issuing helmets and providing insurance.
The move is the result of the work of Global Road Safety Partnership’s (GRSP’s) Advocacy and Grants team, its Chinese grantees, as well as both international and local partners.
“This is a great achievement, and a credit to the Chinese authorities, which will contribute to the reduction of injuries and fatalities from road crashes amongst the ever-growing e-bike riding community in China,” said Dr Judy Fleiter, GRSP Global Manager.
“I see this as an important first step, however there is much more work to be done to fully address the increasing e-bike crash rates in China and in other parts of the world.”
