China: New Helmet Regulations For E-Bikes

On Tuesday May 12, 2020, the Jiangsu People’s Congress passed new regulations mandating the use of helmets by e-bike riders and passengers – penalties also apply for breaches. 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 since China implemented new e-bike standards in April 2019.

According to these regulations, if the rider and/or passenger of an e-bike fail to wear a safety helmet, the Traffic Management Bureau shall issue a warning or a fine of between RMB 20 and RMB 50. Additionally, it requires delivery/express companies to take responsibility for their employees’ safety when using e-bikes, for example, by issuing helmets and providing insurance.

This important step forward is the result of the work of GRSP’s Advocacy and Grants team, its Chinese grantees, as well as both international and local partners.

Dr. Judy Fleiter, GRSP Global Manager said of the move: “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. 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.”.