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E-bike crashes rise among kids; Bumble eyes $1B deal

Emergency rooms report soaring pediatric trauma from e-bikes and scooters; experts say federal regulation is needed to prevent further injuries.

On air: Hank Ledger, Vera Bullock and Dale Bearman on BBN Tonight
Published 6:35 PM ET, Monday, October 12, 2026

Photo: Austin Kirk · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

▶ As it aired · U.S.

Watch it as it aired: Hank Ledger, Vera Bullock and Dale Bearman on this story, from BBN Tonight at 6:35 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are NPR's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: E-bike — Photo: Austin Kirk · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

First reported by NPR: “Rise in accidents involving kids and e-bikes sparks debate about regulation”, with reporting from New York Post.
Covered on BBN on Monday, October 12, 2026, at 6:35 PM ET on BBN Tonight, by Hank Ledger, Vera Bullock and Dale Bearman.
Topics: Silicon Valley.
BBN covered this story before: Silicon Valley falls in line with Trump's AI rebrand (October 11).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

What BBN said about it

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorHere is the latest.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorEmergency rooms are reporting soaring numbers of children hurt in e-bike and scooter accidents, and NPR says experts and advocates agree the federal government needs to step in.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorParents are asking what rules should apply, and that is a conversation worth having before the next birthday present gets wrapped.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorA ten-year-old on a motorized bike with no helmet and no license. What could possibly go wrong?
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorAnd the New York Post reports Bumble is in talks to go private in a one billion dollar deal with a firm launched by a Sequoia partner and a former Meta executive, possibly as soon as this week.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorA billion dollars to find out why nobody is replying. I could have told them for free.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorThe app for meeting people was sold behind closed doors. Romance is dead, Vera, and it had a premium tier.

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