Road traffic injuries are a major public health problem and a leading cause of death and injury around the world. E-bike riders represent a significant proportion of these road traffic deaths and injury in China who, with approximately 300 million e-bikes, is one of the largest e-bike markets in the world. Head injuries are the leading cause of death (75%) and severe injures (80%) among e-bike riders in China. Beyond the immediate loss to the individual and their families, this also adds additional financial burdens to the family and loved ones, as many of the victims are in the prime income-earning years of their lives and are suddenly faced with significant income loss.

WHO China has been working with national and subnational partners in China for over a decade to address this issue and to promote the use of helmets, which are effective both in preventing head injuries and in reducing the severity of injuries sustained by riders and passengers of two-wheelers

Since 2011, WHO has supported local partners, including those at the subnational level, through:

• Sharing international experience and testing workable solutions in the local context
• Working with multisectoral partners to address the various risks associated with e-bikes;
• Working with media to raise public awareness about how to best protect themselves from road injuries and the need for better road safety legislation.

Recently Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces made helmet wearing mandatory in their provincial e-bike laws in May 2020. These are the first province-level laws in China that have made e-bike helmet wearing mandatory with penalties for violation. These laws not only bring safety to the users of the 67 million e-bikes in the two provinces, but also will inform other provinces in China how to best protect e-biker users.