Although California has new laws that came into effect on Jan. 1 designed to improve electric bicycle (e-bike) safety, there is growing concern among the law enforcement and medical communities about what is seen as a rapidly growing incidence of severe accidents involving children.

    Andy Comly, Emergency Services Coordinator for the Lafayette Police Department, explained that e-bike incidents initially were classified with bicycles but are now being tracked separately. A hospital in Marin County realized that e-bike injuries were different than bicycle injuries and started compiling statistics about the serious injures they were treating after accidents involving children and e-bikes. One incident in Marin County, where some teens were “just fooling around” with an e-bike, resulted in a head injury to one teen that were so serious it was the subject of an article The New York Times.

    As Comly points out, many parents view e-bikes as a win-win proposition for their kids, allowing them the freedom to get around Lamorinda’s hilly neighborhoods and to get some exercise at the same time.  He is concerned that parents may be unaware that the danger of e-bikes is much greater than for conventional bicycles and that their kids may not have had any safety training on e-bike use.

    John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek, which serves many families in Lamorinda, has issued a warning about electrical bicycle safety. John Muir notes that e-bikes and e-scooters are increasingly popular modes of transportation and recreation, especially in the Bay Area, but their popularity is leading to serious and sometimes fatal injuries. 

    Over the past year, the John Muir trauma team has treated double the number of injuries to e-bike and e-scooter riders, as well as pedestrians hit by them, compared to the previous year. The hospital concludes that “this is an alarming trend.”

    The John Muir press release goes on to point out that “The types of neurological and orthopedic injuries sustained are much closer to those often associated with motorcycle accidents than to those on non-motorized bicycles. Some e-bikes can travel up to 28 miles per hour and even faster with simple modifications that make it easy to exceed the manufacturer’s speed restrictions. With faster speeds comes more severe collisions and the likelihood of serious or fatal injuries,” and the rate of e-bike injuries is increasing annually.

    John Muir noted that the most prominent age groups suffering these injuries are seniors and teenagers, primarily teenage boys. What John Muir Health’s Trauma Center is seeing mirrors trends from around the country. 

    “According to the American College of Surgeons more than 20,000 people are injured annually while riding e-bikes with approximately 3,000 requiring hospitalization, and this is likely underreported. Statistics are showing that head injuries occur most frequently, and only a third of injured patients were wearing helmets.” 

    Comly told the Lamorinda Weekly that Danville has formed an E-Bike Safety Working Group for agencies and jurisdictions in the East Bay and that Lafayette, Orinda and Moraga are part of the group. Danville has created a Not-My-Kid campaign (see link below) and has shared that with everyone in the work group.  

    Comly added that Lafayette is taking an e-bike educational approach for parents and kids. “We have had to cite a few individuals, but only when the educational approach hasn't worked. For education, our officers are having conversations with kids that are stopped, including their parents on the phone, and explaining the risks and responsibilities of an e-bike rider. We also have presented at PTA meetings, put information out on social media and via email lists to school parents, and have distributed brochures at public events and whenever we get the chance,” he said.

    Lafayette will pursue a multi-pronged approach. Officers will start with education when they stop a kid for an e-bike offense. They will get the parents on the phone and have a conversation. Sometimes, if the offense was egregious, or conversations didn’t go well, a citation will be issued. When the infraction involves an electric dirt bicycle, it will be confiscated or impounded for 30 days. In such circumstances, the storage fees wind up equaling the cost of the electric dirt bicycle ($3,000 to $4,000). 

    Comly advises teens who are stopped by the police not to run from the cops. “When you run it is more unsafe for everyone. Running away can turn what might have been just a conversation into a misdemeanor or arrest for evading an officer. The last thing we want is for people to be riding so fast that they crash and either the rider or someone else gets hurt.” 

    Owing to the growing popularity of e-bikes, especially among senior citizens and teens, the California legislature decided to revise the law covering e-bikes and adopted Senate Bill 1271, which addresses battery storage, classification and motor power. Most of the new requirements in SB 1271 went into effect on Jan. 1 of this year, although there are a couple of provisions that will not become effective until 2028.

    The personal safety of e-bike riders is also addressed in SB 1271 as well as another new state law, Assembly Bill 544, which requires all electric bicycles to be equipped with a rear red reflector or a solid/flashing red light with a built-in reflector. This rear safety device must be visible at all times from a distance of 500 feet while riding, both during the day and at night.

    Comly provided a summary of the requirements for various electric bikes and motorbikes. Class 1 e-bikes are pedal assist only, no throttle, with a maximum speed of 20 mph. Class 2 e-bikes can have pedal assist plus throttle, with a maximum speed of 20 mph. Class 3 e-bikes are pedal assist only, with a maximum speed of 28 mph and are limited to riders 16 and over, who must wear helmets.

    An electric motorcycle is anything exceeding these specifications (no pedals, higher speeds) and such vehicles require registration, insurance, and a motorcycle license for road use. Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV), which include models like Sur-Ron or Talaria electric motorcycles, are designed only for off-road use.

    Moving forward, local authorities are working with legislators on e-bike laws. According to Comly, San Diego and Marin counties have age-restriction pilot laws that could become state laws in the future and may reduce injuries in the excluded age groups. Lafayette School District, particularly Stanley Middle School, requires e-bikes to be registered with the school and requires riders to take an online CHP class of safe riding skills.

Links to e-bike safety information:
The California Highway Patrol online e-bike training course: https://rise.articulate.com/share/yB3Hip8AYzOGdY0dqnd42mQ3k0c6Jza1#/
https://danvilletowntalks.org/notmykid
Trifold Brochure:  https://www.lovelafayette.org/home/showpublisheddocument/7932/638628400698270000
Safety tips:
https://www.lovelafayette.org/home/showpublisheddocument/8283/638876677648100000
Social media video:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1851898705367285