Los Gatos Mayor Rob Moore said he is particularly pleased with Senate Bill 1167<\/a>, which strengthens a ban on advertising motorcycle-like e-motos as street legal e-bikes.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat it really does is make sure that consumers understand what is legal and what\u2019s illegal,\u201d Moore told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cThat\u2019s been a big part of the problem \u2014 consumers are being marketed these illegal motorcycles and don\u2019t do their own research.\u201d<\/p>\n Because e-bikes have more power and acceleration than traditional pedal bikes, they increase the risk of injury to riders<\/a>, especially for children who don\u2019t have the experience or training of adult motorists.<\/p>\n E-bike injuries in the state soared from just two in 2018 to 1,506 in 2024, according to a research report<\/a> in July from the University of California San Diego.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of our most concerning findings was the disproportionately high number of injured children involved in e-bike crashes,\u201d John Austin, a surgery resident and fellow at UC San Diego School of Medicine and lead author of the report, wrote. \u201cE-bikes provide valuable transportation and recreational benefits, but their higher speeds can generate crash forces more comparable to motorcycles than traditional bicycles, leading to potentially severe injuries.\u201d<\/p>\n Wendy Riggs, executive director of Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Safe Routes to School, appreciates the new state laws but wants regulations to go further.<\/p>\n Riggs would like Class 1 e-bikes, which only provide a pedal assist and don\u2019t go faster than 20 miles an hour, to be limited to ages 12 and above in most cases. Class 2 and 3 e-bikes, which have throttles and go as fast as 28 miles an hour, should be for ages 16 and above, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not against electrified bikes,\u201d Riggs told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cI just think people are buying e-bikes that are not developmentally correct for their child.\u201d<\/p>\n Law enforcement officials in California are beginning to hold parents legally accountable for providing their children with illegal e-bikes. On Oct. 20, the Orange County District Attorney filed child endangerment charges<\/a> against the parents of a 13-year-old boy killed while riding an e-moto at 43 miles an hour. The DA then filed charges against six more parents<\/a> on Oct. 21, in one case involving a 9-year-old boy riding an e-moto when he was hit by a pickup truck.<\/p>\n Teens and preteens are attracted to e-bikes for the freedom they provide to quickly get around town, yet they often face peer pressure to illegally modify the bikes for greater speed and to perform dangerous tricks.<\/p>\n Emirali Mazanov, a 16-year-old junior at Los Gatos High School, started an online business selling e-moto accessories, but is adamant they should only be ridden on private property \u2014 such as dirt bike tracks \u2014 rather than on public roads. Mazanov was given permission by his mother to speak to this news outlet.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are lots of reckless stunts being done on the street, for sure,\u201d Mazanov told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cLast week, I was in San Francisco, and I saw an entire rideout where there were at least 500 kids on these e-motos. I did see an injury, where a juvenile crashed into the back of a car and he wasn\u2019t wearing a helmet, causing him to go unconscious.\u201d<\/p>\n Mazanov supports safety training through events for young people that are both fun and informative.<\/p>\n \u201cI think a trained 15-year-old is safer than an untrained adult on a bike this fast,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n On Dec. 11, Santa Clara County officials are bringing together private groups and government agencies for an e-bike safety summit<\/a> in San Jose with the goal of founding a future task force focused on long\u2011term, interdisciplinary e\u2011bike safety efforts throughout the region.<\/p>\n Illegal e-bike use by children and teens is widespread<\/a>, according to a study released last December by the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University.<\/p>\n \u201cCounts of electric two-wheelers parked at a dozen Northern California middle and high schools found that almost 90% may not meet the standards for legal electric bicycles,\u201d the study reads. \u201cSome of these devices have as much as eight times more power than legal limits.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/LGHS-e-biker-e1792783951836-1024x597.jpg\")
A student leaving Los Gatos High School on an e-bike. Photo by Mike Langberg.<\/p>\n
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