Boy, 14, dies in e-bike crash with car as parents warn ‘this is reason why they are banned from the roads’

14-Year-Old Boy Dies in E-Bike Collision with Car as Parents Issue Safety Warning

A tragic incident in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, has left the families of two teenagers reeling after a 14-year-old boy lost his life in a collision involving an electric motorbike and a car.

Finley Dawson, 14, was riding an electric bike when it crashed into a Kia Sportage on Newbold Road at approximately 8:30pm last Thursday. The impact threw him and his 15-year-old pillion passenger off the vehicle, leaving both boys injured. While the younger rider succumbed to his injuries the day after the accident, his friend remains hospitalized in a critical but stable condition.

Derbyshire police confirmed that the car driver is being treated as a witness and is cooperating with ongoing investigations. No arrests have been made at this time.

Parents Emphasize Risks of E-Bike Riding on Roads

The fleeting excitement of riding an electric bike on the road may not be worth the peril it brings, said the families of the boys in a joint statement. They highlighted that Finley’s untimely death underscores the dangers of young riders taking to the roads without proper safeguards.

They added: “There is a reason these bikes are banned from the road, and devastatingly Finley has paid the ultimate price in losing his life. His friend now faces the challenge of growing up without his closest companion.”

According to UK regulations, individuals must be at least 16 years old and hold a valid driving license to ride electric motorbikes on public roads. However, pedal-assisted e-bikes can be operated by anyone over 14, provided their power output does not exceed 250 watts.