美国各地儿童在电动自行车和电动滑板车事故中的伤亡人数急剧上升，引发了监管机构和法律部门的回应[1]。纽约17岁青年Gabriel Nacato在非法电动车事故中丧生，成为这一问题的典型案例[1]。针对这一日益严峻的形势，各州和地方官员采取了不同的措施来解决儿童骑手的安全问题。
纽约市市长Zohran Mamdani向亚马逊、沃尔玛等40多家在线零售商发出警告，对违规销售行为设定最高2000美元的罚款[1]。与此同时，加州橙县地方检察官Todd Spitzer办公室针对父母展开了行动，目前有20多起未决调查，已提起4起刑事诉讼[1]。其中一案涉及被指控儿童危害罪的Richard Eyssallenne，检控方称其为12岁儿子购买并非法改装电动摩托车以提高其速度[1]。
各州对电动自行车的法律规定存在显著差异[1]。加州对低功率电动自行车无州法定最低年龄限制，但高功率电动自行车要求骑手至少16岁[1]。纽约州则要求所有类型电动自行车骑手至少16岁，纽约市还额外实施15英里/小时的速度限制[1]。新泽西州已出台新的电动自行车骑手年龄和执照要求[1]。不过，并非所有州都支持更严格的监管，佛罗里达州州长Ron DeSantis在6月否决了10英里/小时速度限制和其他电动自行车监管措施[1]。
Injuries and fatalities involving children on electric bikes and scooters have surged across the United States, prompting officials to grapple with questions of regulation and accountability [1]. The tragic death of 17-year-old Gabriel Nacato from New York in an illegal e-bike accident exemplifies the growing crisis that has captured the attention of lawmakers and prosecutors nationwide [1].
In response, authorities have adopted varied enforcement strategies. New York City's Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued cease-and-desist notices to more than 40 online retailers, including Amazon and Walmart, targeting illegal sales of e-bikes, with potential fines reaching $2,000 per violation [1]. Meanwhile, prosecutors in Orange County, California have opened more than 20 investigations into parents and filed four criminal charges, including a case against Richard Eyssallenne, who allegedly purchased and illegally modified an electric motorcycle for his 12-year-old son to make it faster [1].
Regulatory approaches vary significantly by jurisdiction. California imposes no state minimum age requirement for low-powered e-bikes but requires riders of high-powered models to be at least 16 years old [1]. New York State mandates a minimum age of 16 for all types of e-bike riders, with New York City adding a 15 miles-per-hour speed cap [1]. In contrast, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed proposed regulations in June that would have implemented a 10 miles-per-hour speed limit and other e-bike safety measures [1]. As these regulatory landscapes remain fragmented, the question of whether parents should bear criminal responsibility for their children's e-bike use continues to fuel policy debates [1].