Apex police are issuing a new warning after another crash involving an e-bike left a rider seriously injured.

The crash happened Saturday along East Williams Street, according to the Apex Police Department. Officers said an e-bike collided with a car, leaving the rider with significant injuries. Investigators said initial findings indicate operator error.

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“E-bikes have been involved in several of the collisions we’ve seen around town,” Apex police Officer Jeremy Short said.

Short said confusion over what qualifies as an e-bike is creating dangers on the roads.

“People, I think, are using the term e-bike very loosely,” Short said. “A lot of the things that we’ve been seeing are these kids in the community are riding essentially what amounts to electric-operated dirt bikes, and they’re going to meet all of the requirements of a motorcycle.”

The distinction has drawn concern across Wake County and came as a surprise to Lauren Lovette, whose teenage son was taken to the emergency room after breaking his arm while riding what the family initially believed was an e-bike.

“We learned that is in fact a motorcycle. If someone said, ‘Would you buy your kid a motorcycle?’ Absolutely not. Nobody would do that,” Lovette said in an October interview with WRAL.

Since then, towns across Wake County have adopted regulations for more powerful bikes, commonly known as e-motos.

In Holly Springs, police said officers have had 37 contacts involving e-bikes or e-motos. Those contacts include warnings and calls to parents, as well as a July collision that sent a 13-year-old boy to the hospital. As of Thursday, the town had issued no citations.

Wake Forest officials said two juveniles have been referred to teen court in connection with the town’s e-bike ordinance. One adult has been cited.

Apex is relying heavily on public awareness campaigns to educate riders about the differences between e-bikes and more powerful vehicles that more closely resemble motorcycles.

Short said those efforts appear to be helping to some degree but warned about the consequences of mistakes at higher speeds.

“What for generations might have been a 14-mile-per-hour mistake ... now they’re making 45-50-mile-per-hour mistakes, and unfortunately, they’re not making it home that night. They’re having extended stays in the hospital,” Short said.

Police said knowing what type of vehicle you’re riding could help prevent injuries.

Apex police said electric bikes that exceed 20 mph and have a motor of more than 750 watts most likely require insurance and registration. Those types of vehicles also are not allowed on greenways or trails and must remain on the street.