The College of Public Health is pleased to announce it has received a ($245,000) grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS).

The project, Improving E-Bike Safety Through Data and Community Insights, will support an effort to address significant gaps in the availability of accurate crash data involving electric bicycles, or e-bikes, in Athens-Clarke County and on the UGA campus. While e-bikes offer an affordable and sustainable option for transportation, they also present serious safety concerns for operators as well as other drivers and pedestrians. Amid the growing presence of e-bikes on local roadways, the project team will seek to engage members of law enforcement, along with community stakeholders, to better understand the overall impact of electric bicycles on traffic and public safety.

“Innovative projects like this are designed with the intent for Georgia and our nation to reach the realistic goal of zero traffic deaths by the middle of this century,” said Allen Poole, Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. “Each life saved on our roads is one less family that will have to live with the pain of losing a loved one whose life was taken from them in a traffic crash that was completely preventable.”

“E-bikes might look like traditional bicycles, but they can top out at speeds exceeding 30mph. This results in more serious injuries when crashes happen,” says the project’s Principal Investigator, Dr. Heather Padilla. “Part of the challenge is to figure out the best way to safely integrate these vehicles with other traffic, and to have clear guidance for both drivers and law enforcement.”

The grant year for this award will be December 3, 2025 to September 30, 2026.

The project’s mission is twofold: 1) analyze e-bike crash data and recommend ways to make future crash reporting more accurate and informative, and 2) leverage the expertise of community officials to inform best practices for safe use of this emerging mode of transportation.

The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety’s mission is to educate the public on safe driving behaviors and implement highway safety campaigns and programs designed to reduce crashes and eliminate fatalities and injuries on Georgia roads.

For more information on this grant program, contact GOHS at 404-656-6996; for more information on GOHS and its other highway safety programs, visit www.gahighwaysafety.org.