SAUGUS — A woman was struck by an e-bike while using the crosswalk near Lincoln Avenue early Sunday morning.
According to Saugus Police Chief Michael Ricciardelli, the woman did sustain injuries, but refused medical attention at the scene and instead had her husband pick her up and take her to the hospital.
Ricciardelli also noted that while there have been issues with juveniles on e-bikes around town, this incident did not include a juvenile.
He added that the summer months have brought a slight increase in e-bike incidents, but not a large spike. Ricciardelli said the department wished that more riders, whether juveniles or adults, would learn the rules of the road to prevent further incidents.
In a post by Fiorentino Legal, P.C., a law firm in Quincy that focuses on personal injury and criminal defense, the firm explained the legal options available to people who were harmed by an e-bike.
The firm said a pedestrian may have legal options under Massachusetts law, depending on how the e-bike is classified.
The firm wrote that “establishing that the e-bike rider’s negligent operation caused the collision will be central to any claim pursued, as Massachusetts law requires demonstrating that another party’s careless conduct led to the harm suffered.”
This can be done through evidence of the e-bike’s speed, whether it was being operated in an appropriate area, and whether the rider exercised reasonable care to avoid striking pedestrians, according to the firm.
Currently, Bill S.3077, An Act to Enhance the Safe Use of Micromobility Devices, sponsored by Gov. Maura Healey, is being reviewed. It was recently discussed at a Joint Committee on Transportation meeting at the end of May after being referred there by both the House and Senate.
