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

Parents mourn 14-year-old e-bike rider after fatal collision with car

A tragic incident in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, has left the parents of Finley Dawson, 14, urging caution as they highlight the dangers of e-bike use on public roads.

Last Thursday, Finley was riding an electric motorbike when it collided with a Kia Sportage on Newbold Road around 8:30pm. The crash left him and his 15-year-old passenger, who was riding as a pillion, thrown from the vehicle and onto the road surface.

Finley was hospitalized following the collision but suffered injuries deemed not survivable. He passed away the day after the accident, while his friend remains in critical condition but stable at a Derbyshire hospital.

“There is a reason these bikes are banned from the road, and devastatingly Finley has paid the ultimate price in losing his life,” the families stated in a joint declaration.

Derbyshire police confirmed the Kia driver is being treated as a witness, aiding investigations into the incident. No arrests have been made at this time.

UK regulations specify that riders must be 16 and hold a valid driving license to operate electric motorbikes on roads. In contrast, pedal-assisted electric bikes can be used by individuals aged 14 or older, provided their power output does not exceed 250 watts.