According to a study by researchers at UC San Diego,<\/a> crashes and injuries involving e-bikes have increased quickly in California, and many of those being hurt are 14 or younger. <\/p>\n Between 2018 and 2024, according to the study, e-bike riders were involved in at least 4,035 collisions. The study also found that, when compared with injuries from traditional pedal bikes, e-bike riders suffered more serious and severe injuries. <\/p>\n So agencies across the state have started to crack down.<\/p>\n The Huntington Beach Police Department and Orange County Sheriff\u2019s Department hosted a free hands-on e-bike training at Dwyer Middle School in May 2025.<\/p>\n (Huntington Beach Police Department)<\/p>\n Last week, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District became the first district in the state to ban electric vehicles for some of its students. Elementary and middle school students were banned from using e-bikes, as well as electric scooters and skateboards, on school property. Only high school students may ride e-bikes to campuses, but they are required to complete an online course by the California Highway Patrol. <\/p>\n A district spokesperson said they\u2019ve had a positive start to the new year, and school officials have put \u201creminder tags\u201d on e-bikes that have been parked on school property without the permit stickers. <\/p>\n In Los Angeles, the Department of Transportation has been tasked with looking into ways it can regulate e-bikes and has been asked to return to the City Council\u2019s Rules Committee in September with recommendations.<\/p>\n And at the state level, Assemblymember Diane Papan (D-San Mateo) in February introduced AB 2595<\/a>, which would allow San Mateo County to impose age restrictions for e-bike riders under 12 years old in its jurisdiction. A separate bill, AB 2346, introduced by Assemblymembers Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) and Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City)<\/a> would mandate e-bikes be equipped with speedometers and limit riders under 16 years old to going no faster than 15 mph.<\/p>\n A surfer with an electric bike in San Clemente. <\/p>\n (Gary Coronado \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n After years of educating the public on the dangers of riding e-bikes, it\u2019s reassuring to see laws coming onto the books that provide consequences for dangerous behavior, said Irvine police officer Jason Scheafer, a motorcycle officer who is the department\u2019s point person for e-bike enforcement.<\/p>\n Most e-bike riders are following the laws and riding safe, Scheafer said, but officers are still seeing serious crashes involving young teen riders<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re talking about a group that doesn\u2019t have driver\u2019s ed training, doesn\u2019t know the rules of the road,\u201d Scheafer said. <\/p>\n In most cases involving young riders, the department refers offenders to an e-bike safety class instead of issuing a citation, he said. But those with illegal e-bikes or e-motorcycles could have their vehicle impounded. <\/p>\n \u201cWe do use discretion when we do it, but we\u2019re trying to prevent what happened in Lake Forest and Garden Grove,\u201d Scheafer said, referring to two deadly crashes involving e-bikes and e-motorcycles. <\/p>\n In May, Orange County prosecutors announced an e-bike and e-motorcycle prosecution unit, which would review possible criminal charges against minors, adults and parents involving the electric vehicles. The unit was assigned to review the possibility of charges against adults who knowingly allowed their children to ride illegal e-motorcycles. <\/p>\n That same month, the mother of a 14-year-old Orange County boy who allegedly struck and killed an 81-year-old Vietnam War veteran<\/a> while riding an e-motorcycle was arrested. Spitzer charged the boy\u2019s mother with multiple felonies including involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment, accessory after the fact to a crime and several misdemeanors tied to providing the bike to her son and lying to police. <\/p>\n Tommi Jo Mejer, center, 50, of Aliso Viejo, appears in court with her attorneys Paul Meyer, left, and Lolita Kirk in Newport Beach on May 12. Mejer was charged with multiple felonies and misdemeanors after her child was involved in a fatal e-motorcycle crash.<\/p>\n (Allen J. Schaben \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n For many young riders, Scheafer said, it just takes a brief encounter with police to strap on the missing helmet, or share the path more safely with pedestrians and other bicyclists. Lately, parents do seem to be more aware of not only those rules, but which bicycles are legal for their children to ride. <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1787827450_711_.jpeg\")
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