A man who was killed while operating an electric pedal bike on Route 61 in North Manheim Township had been riding without lights when he was struck from behind by a tractor-trailer, according to a Pennsylvania State Police investigation.
Michael Shaffer, 45, of Schuylkill Haven, was pronounced dead at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Schuylkill in Pottsville due to injuries he suffered in the June 11 crash, officials said.
The collision occurred shortly after 11 p.m. when Shaffer was riding his e-bike north on Route 61, just north of Seven Stars Road, troopers said.
The driver of the tractor-trailer that struck him was Edwin Viera, 38, of Vineland, N.J., troopers said. He was not hurt.
Dashcam footage from the truck confirmed Viera’s account that the bike was in the far-right lane of the highway, and not on the shoulder, when it was hit, troopers said.
The footage also shows that the bike didn’t have proper lighting equipment, and Shaffer was not wearing any type of protective gear, troopers said.
The incident is still under investigation.
A forensic CT scan performed on Shaffer showed that he died of injuries to his head and chest, said Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David Moylan. Moylan said he will not rule on the manner of Shaffer’s death until results from toxicology tests come back.
Under Pennsylvania law, the most common e-bike models are permitted wherever traditional bicycles are allowed. They must follow similar traffic rules and can be operated on public roadways, bike lanes and sidewalks outside of designated business districts.
However, because e-bikes have heavier frames and reach higher speeds than traditional bicycles, riders face reduced reaction times and are more prone to severe injuries like brain trauma, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
Shaffer’s death is one of the latest in a series of fatal e-bike crashes in Pennsylvania. A 25-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed after striking the rear passenger door of a sheriff’s office vehicle in Butler County on May 26, and a 30-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed in East Hempfield Township, Lancaster County, after being hit by another vehicle on April 14, police said.