Police in Seeland: on the way at lightning speed on the pedelec!

Police in Seeland: on the way at lightning speed on the pedelec!

Seeland, Deutschland - Summer not only caused the temperatures to rise, but also the police presence on two wheels in the Seeland region. Andreas Raters, regional area officer, swings to his pedelec to get into areas that are unreachable with a company car. This now happens more frequently and is a premiere in the region that, in addition to the picturesque concordia See, also includes six charming districts.

With pedelecs that are actually electrical bicycles and are only active with pedal support, the police relies on a modern means of transportation. Cycle paths that are not accessible to cars offer officials the opportunity to maintain closer contacts with the population and to get to locations faster. Raters receives support from his colleague Klaus-Ulrich Schnita, who also uses the pedelec for his police work. A good step in the right direction, especially in a rural area where neighborhood aid is very popular.

pedelecs and their legal situation

But what does that mean for the future use of pedelecs? The EU Commission plays a crucial role here. She is working on a fundamental re -evaluation of vehicle categories, especially for pedelecs. These are currently legally considered bicycles, which greatly simplifies their use. Markus Riese from Riese & Müller supports the status quo and emphasizes that pedelecs are considered safe in their current form and do not require new regulations. However, the discussion also revolves around the cargo bikes, in which there is a lack of uniform regulations for weight and size.

Tim Salatzki from the two-wheeler industry association demands uniform vehicle classes across Europe to meet the new traffic conditions. Arne Behrenens of Cargobike. Now sees the potential, especially for cargo bikes that are becoming increasingly popular in delivery services and private traffic. However, he demands standards to ensure that children and other passengers can be transported safely.

traffic safety on two wheels

The safety of cyclists is a central topic in Germany, where the number of bicycles and e-bikes now corresponds to the number of inhabitants. According to a decision of April 28, 2025, a European harmonization of accident data acquisition is planned to increase traffic safety. At the moment, only 60 % of the cyclists feel safe, and in 2023 446 cyclists were killed. This mainly applies to older drivers, whose average age is 53 years old.

The recommendations from the decision also include measures to improve the detection of bicycle travelers, for example through vehicle-to-X technology, and the introduction of minimum standards for braking systems over the next three years. This wants to increase security and reduce the risk of accidents.

Another hotly controversial topic is the use of S-Pedelecs, which enjoy a special status at cycle paths at a speed of up to 45 km/h. Some countries such as Belgium and Switzerland enable the S-Pedelecs to drive on bike paths, which caused the sales figures to rise there. A proposal concerns the decision about these regulations that could be left to the municipalities in the future. Finally, taking into account the width of vehicles and special requirements for people with a handicap is an important approach to planning bike paths.

In the coming years we will see how these developments will affect the security standards and the use of pedelecs and cargo bikes. It is all the more important that both the police and transport policy meet the upcoming challenges with a good hand.

For further information on the changes and developments in the field of electric bicycles and safety on the streets, we refer to the reports of , gesimmsrad.de and dvr.de .