E-bike delivery worker fatally strikes man in Greenpoint

A man was killed in Brooklyn on Friday night after being hit by an e-bike delivery worker who ran a stop sign. The victim, identified as 49-year-old Luis Cruz, was exiting his double-parked car when the incident occurred around 7:40 p.m. Witnesses say the delivery worker was speeding to complete a food order. Jack Collins, a local restaurant worker, described the crash, saying Cruz was hit "basically on the spot." He noted that e-bikes can reach speeds of 25 to 30 miles per hour and running stop signs is common in that area. The intersection of Franklin and India streets is between two others with stoplights, which may encourage reckless driving. Collins also mentioned that this isn't an isolated incident. He has seen many near-misses at the same intersection. There have been ongoing calls from city lawmakers to tighten regulations on e-bikes, treating them like traditional vehicles. City data shows e-bikes account for less than 2% of traffic deaths and less than 4% of traffic injuries in New York City. In the past few years, there were six pedestrian fatalities linked to e-bikes, compared to 471 from other types of vehicles. Additionally, unregulated e-bike batteries have caused numerous fires in the city. Delivery workers, many of whom rely on e-bikes, face pressures from food delivery apps that incentivize speedy deliveries. Critics argue that this culture promotes dangerous riding habits.