This week it was reported that a 14-year-old boy has been stopped by police for allegedly riding an e-bike at 70km/h — more than twice the speed limit. The young person has still to go to court, so it is important to note that he is innocent until proven guilty. But this incident is not the first to have seen people allegedly riding e-bikes dangerously or at high speeds.

On July 22, a 71-year-old woman crossing a street in Hamilton was struck by a 15-year-old who apparently was not looking where he was going as he approached her. The woman had to be taken to hospital for eye and leg injuries.

Anyone who has been on Bermuda’s roads in recent months has had the experience of encountering riders on unlicensed e-bikes going at high speeds, often while not wearing helmets.

These bikes are not toys. Often they can go as fast as, or faster than, auxiliary cycles and are being driven by people who have not undergone any kind of training, let alone passed a driving test.

The common assumption is that there are no laws governing these bikes, but this may not be the case. The Auxiliary Bicycles Act states that electrically propelled bicycles are auxiliary cycles, which means e-bikes fit the bill. Yet the authorities have seemingly turned a blind eye to this or have interpreted the law differently.

Either way, it is obvious that these bikes need to be licensed and insured to ensure that they are safe and that, in the event of an accident, both the offender and the victim will have some security. Furthermore, it makes sense that the rider should also be licensed and should have passed a driving test.

If necessary, as columnist Maurice Foley has pointed out, a distinction should be made between bikes that gently assist pedalling and significant boosts to speed.

Regardless of the distinction, all riders should be required to wear helmets.

To date, there do not appear to have been any serious collisions involving e-bikes. But it is just a matter of time before it happens. There is no time to waste.