E-bike injuries tend to be more severe than regular pedal bikes because riders are going a lot faster, said Dr. Liz Placzek, pediatrician at Children’s Minnesota. E-bikes are also much heavier than standard bicycles, so those who fall off e-bikes often have multiple injuries, from broken legs and arms to head trauma.

Anecdotally, she’s seen more cases of e-bike riders coming into the hospital for severe injuries compared to the same time last year.

Placzek recommends that riders take it slow and maintain a speed under 10 mph, she said.

Determining if someone is too young to ride an e-bike — defined by law as under 15 years of age — is difficult for officers, according to various metro police departments. And e-motos, which aren’t allowed on the streets because they go over 28 mph, look so similar to e-bikes that it’s difficult for officers to discern the difference.

Law enforcement agencies and cities have turned to social media to help educate the public on what’s allowed, in addition to installing informational signage on trails, said Jeff Potts, executive director of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association. Many municipalities across the Twin Cities are looking into measures beyond that to slow down speeding e-bikes and e-motos, Potts said.