Cycling is widely recognised for its environmental benefits and its positive impact on individual health. In recent years, electric bicycles, commonly known as e-bikes, have become an increasingly popular alternative to conventional bicycles. Two main types can be distinguished: the regular pedelec, which provides pedal assistance up to 25 km/h, and the speed pedelec, which provides pedal assistance up to 45 km/h.
This month, the European Road Safety Charter is also highlighting practical solutions through our April Good Practice of the Month. The featured initiative, developed by Doctors for Safe Cycling and the Brain Battle Foundation, focuses on improving e‑bike safety through education, awareness and targeted interventions. Their work demonstrates how community‑driven approaches can help address the rising risks associated with e‑bike use - read more here.
Although conventional bicycles are still used more frequently than e-bikes, the popularity of e-bikes is growing rapidly across Europe. The Netherlands leads in e-bike use, followed by countries such as Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. This growth is also reflected in sales figures: in 2020, one in every five bicycles sold in the EU was an e-bike, and by 2023 EU e‑bike sales exceeded 5 million units, and projections suggest that by 2030 this could rise to one in two.
E-bike use is influenced by both personal and infrastructural factors. Women and older people, who generally cycle less than men and younger people, are comparatively more likely to opt for an e-bike. In addition, cycling frequently on rural roads and on urban roads equipped with cycle lanes is associated with a higher likelihood of using an e-bike rather than a conventional bicycle. In general, the age for pedelecs is higher than for bikes and speed pedelecs, but the age profiles differ somewhat across European countries. However, younger age groups (under 45) are now visibly catching up in e-bike adoption as e‑bikes become more common for commuting and everyday trips.
In 2023, a total of 1,918 cyclists were killed in Europe, accounting for 10% of all road fatalities. Around 16% of the cyclists who died were riding pedelecs, although this figure is likely underestimated because several countries do not differentiate between bicycle types in their crash data. Countries with high cycling levels, such as the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium and Germany, also report the highest shares of road fatalities involving a cyclist. Age is a critical factor: the risk of being killed while cycling is considerably higher for people aged 65 and over. Reduced agility, declining skills and increased physical frailty help explain this heightened vulnerability. The severity of crashes is higher for pedelecs than for normal bikes and speed pedelecs, also due to the older age profile. Most e-bike crashes involve collisions with passenger cars, followed by single-bicycle crashes. However, this picture should be interpreted with caution. Bicycle crashes, and especially single-bicycle crashes, are known to be under-reported, meaning that the actual number of incidents is significantly higher than official statistics suggest.
In the event of a collision, crash severity is largely determined by kinetic forces, which are influenced by differences in mass and speed between the vehicles involved. As a result, cyclists (both normal and e-bike) face a comparatively high risk of serious injury or death when involved in a crash. In Denmark, for example, the risk of being seriously injured or killed per kilometre travelled is estimated to be 13 times higher for cyclists than for car drivers. Across the EU, cyclist fatalities have not decreased at the same pace as other road‑user groups, particularly in urban areas where 52% of cyclist deaths occur.
There are several measures that can protect all types of cyclists against (the consequences of) a crash and encourage them to cycle more:
- Build physically separated bike lanes
- Lower speeds in areas with mixed traffic
- Encourage helmet use
- Improve cyclist visibility
- Design safe intersections and crossings
- Reduce distraction and alcohol use of cyclists
Together, these measures highlight that improving cyclist and e‑bike safety requires coordinated action from policymakers, infrastructure planners, manufacturers and riders themselves. As e‑bike use continues to grow across Europe, investing in safer environments and promoting responsible behaviour will be essential to reducing fatalities and supporting a shift toward healthier, more sustainable mobility.
More initiatives from our members:
Lifelong safe, active mobility – New career paths for older people in schools & on e-bikes
Safe cycling to work: virtual reality training
Sources:
European Commission (2025) Facts and Figures Cyclists. European Road Safety Observatory. Brussels, European Commission, Directorate General for Transport.
Møller, M. & Jensen, T. C. (2024). Cyclists. ESRA3 Thematic report Nr. 11. ESRA project (E-Survey of Road users’ Attitudes). (2024-R-32-EN). Technical University of Denmark. https://www.esranet.eu/storage/minisites/esra2023thematicreportno11cyclists.pdf
Slootmans, F.; Feys, M.; Denivelle, J.; Schoeters, A. & Piazza H. (2024). Ongevallen met elektrische fietsen en speedpedelecs in kaart gebracht – State of the art, Brussel: Vias institute
SWOV (2022). Pedelecs and speed pedelecs. SWOV fact sheet, May 2022. SWOV, The Hague.
European Commission (2024). Road Safety Thematic Report – Cyclists. European Road Safety Observatory, Directorate‑General for Mobility and Transport. https://transport.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2024-03/ERSO-TR-Cyclists-20240305.pdf?utm_source=copilot.com
