Warning about the dangers of modifying and customizing electric bicycles.

Recently, it has become increasingly common for students to ride modified electric bicycles to school. The Traffic Police Department (Khanh Hoa Provincial Police) and the police in communes and wards have continuously inspected and taken action to reduce the risk of traffic accidents.

Faster, more dangerous

According to information from the Bac Cam Ranh Ward Police, they recently received a dashcam video showing a group of high school students recklessly speeding on electric bicycles on National Highway 1. Despite cars traveling at over 50 km/h, the students continuously overtook other vehicles, including trucks. At an intersection, the students on electric bicycles did not slow down, nearly colliding with several motorbikes making U-turns. This is just one of many cases of students riding modified electric bicycles and motorbikes in several communes and wards. Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich (Nam Nha Trang Ward) stated: “I have witnessed many students driving electric vehicles at very high speeds, even faster than motorbikes. Most of those driving these modified vehicles are high school students who lack the skills to handle situations. When speed exceeds control, even a minor collision can lead to serious consequences.”

The Dien Lac commune police summoned the student who was riding a modified electric bicycle to come in for questioning.

According to Mr. Le Nam Tien, a mechanic on Le Hong Phong Street (Nam Nha Trang Ward), modifying electric bicycles and electric motorbikes to make them run faster than the manufacturer's design is quite easy and not as complicated as modifying gasoline-powered motorbikes, so students can do it themselves at home. Components for modifying electric vehicles are widely available online, along with many instructional videos guiding students on how to change components and interfere with the vehicle's control system. Recognizing that supporting the trend of modifying electric vehicles is a violation of the law, Mr. Tien stated that he has refused requests from students to "upgrade" their electric vehicles.

The Ninh Chử ward police discovered an electric bicycle fitted with a motor to change its speed.

According to our investigation on Facebook, there are many groups in Khanh Hoa province that modify electric bicycles into electric motorcycles. Some groups have over 7,000 members, posting an average of more than 40 articles per day. The content mainly consists of sharing methods to increase speed; buying and selling batteries and high-power motors for modification; and "boosting" the current of the speed controller beyond the permitted level to make the vehicle accelerate faster than normal.

An officer from the Road Traffic Police Team (Traffic Police Department, Provincial Police) shared: According to the design, electric bicycles are only safe to operate at speeds of about 25-40 km/h, and electric motorbikes at a maximum of about 50 km/h. However, after being modified, many vehicles can reach speeds of over 60-80 km/h. These seemingly simple changes lead to a series of safety risks. The braking system, suitable for low speeds, will be less effective when the vehicle is traveling at high speeds; the frame and tires are not designed to withstand high loads; replacing or upgrading batteries or power packs of unknown origin increases the risk of fire and explosion...

They even went to the school to deal with modified and customized vehicles.

Recently, the situation of students using modified electric bicycles and electric motorbikes at high speeds has become quite complex, posing many potential traffic safety risks. Through inspections at schools in the area, Ninh Chu Ward Police discovered many cases of unauthorized modifications to the structure, increased power, and speed; the addition of lights, horns, and speed controllers that do not comply with regulations… Many parents believe that electric bicycles are safe for their children, unaware that when modified, these vehicles can become a danger on the road. Therefore, Ninh Chu Ward Police have coordinated with schools to require students to voluntarily remove the modified parts from their electric bicycles and hand them over to the authorities; at the same time, they have organized students to sign commitments not to repeat the offense.

Police in Ninh Chử ward inspected modified electric vehicles at a school in the ward.

In Dien Lac commune, residents reported that some students were using modified electric bicycles on the D6 road. Immediately after receiving the information, the Dien Lac commune police, in coordination with the Road Traffic Police Team, summoned two students for questioning. During the meeting, in the presence of their parents, the commune police clearly explained the legal regulations on traffic order and safety, and the risks of accidents caused by operating vehicles that do not meet safety standards. The two students acknowledged their wrongdoing; their families also committed to closely supervising their children and preventing them from continuing to use illegally modified vehicles.

The Ninh Chử Ward Police requested the students to remove the modified devices from their electric bicycles.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Son, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training, stated that the modification and customization of electric scooters by students is a worrying issue. The provincial education sector has collaborated with electric scooter technical experts to explain to students the risks of tampering with the control unit (IC), replacing batteries or accumulators with those of unknown origin, increasing the risk of fire, explosion, and safety hazards during sudden braking. Simultaneously, educational institutions are required to use platforms frequently accessed by students, such as TikTok, Facebook, and Zalo, to post videos simulating the consequences of modifying scooters, such as broken frames, burnt batteries, and loss of speed control. They are also coordinating with local authorities to require repair shops around schools to sign commitments not to assist students in modifying or customizing electric scooters. Schools are also increasing inspections of student parking areas. Vehicles showing signs of structural changes, altered lights, horns, or tampering with the engine will be impounded, and parents will be summoned for questioning. Through parent-teacher meetings, the school provides signs of modified vehicles such as: actual speed higher than the displayed speed, unusual engine noise, added LED lights, etc. For students who intentionally violate the rules after being warned, the school will apply disciplinary action such as lowering their conduct grade and cooperating with the police to handle the matter according to regulations on vehicle modifications.

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Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/xa-hoi/202605/canh-bao-hiem-hoa-tu-viec-do-che-xe-dap-dien-25f102a/