Why this matters
Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego reported having three e-bike injuries so serious it activated a trauma team in response in 2021. Last year, that number was 262.
A countywide crackdown on e-bikes continued this week as San Diego, Carlsbad and Escondido all took steps to reduce the soaring number of traumatic injuries on city streets in recent years.
On Tuesday, the city of San Diego voted to join a half dozen other San Diego County cities to ban children aged 11 or younger from riding e-bikes. Carlsbad, which has a ban and other rules in place, launched a new e-bike portal this week so the public can notify law enforcement about unsafe riding.
And on Wednesday, Escondido asked city staff to meet with community groups and collect more data so it could consider updating a policy governing bicycles, nonmotorized vehicles and mobility devices that was last changed in 2009.
E-bikes have surged in popularity almost everywhere in recent years, especially among kids who can ride them as fast as 20 mph.
Injuries are up as a result.
Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego reported having three e-bike injuries so serious it activated a trauma team in response in 2021 after reporting zero in 2020.
Last year, that number was 262.
In Escondido, potential e-bike regulations staff presented to the City Council on Wednesday would have banned e-bike riders under 12, banned second riders on bikes not built for two and given law enforcement the authority to confiscate e-bikes and issue fines of $50 for a first violation and $200 for a third.
Several public speakers and council members said that while they agreed with the goal to increase e-bike safety in the city, some of the language —- including around e-bikes being allowed on certain trails and the police department’s ability to seize e-bikes — went too far or was unclear. But the consensus seemed to be that something needs to change.
Escondido Police Traffic Division Lt. Craig Miller told the City Council that the use of e-bikes has increased “substantially” in Escondido in recent years.
“While these devices provide valuable transportation and recreational opportunities, they’ve also created new safety concerns for pedestrians, motorists, trail users and providers themselves,” he said. “The aim is to reduce the number of crashes and resulting injuries involving electric bicycles and mobility devices, a trend that cities across San Diego County have experienced over the last five years.”
After about an hourlong public hearing, the City Council directed staff to meet with local advocacy groups like Compact, the San Diego Mountain Biking Association and the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition to get more community input in the ordinance.
Council members also requested updated data on e-bike injuries
“We’re not ready to go ahead and create the ordinance now. We still have some engagement to do,” Councilmember Consuelo Martinez said. “This was a good starting point.”
Chula Vista, Coronado, La Mesa, Poway, San Marcos and Santee have all enacted an age limit on e-bike ridership within their jurisdictions as allowed under a state law specific to San Diego County aimed at reducing a rash of injuries.
Rise in e-bike injuries
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the law in 2024 after the city of Carlsbad worked with Assemblymember Tasha Boerner, D-Encinitas, to pave the way for a pilot program banning children under 12-years-old from riding e-bikes. Under the law, riders receive warnings for 60 days after the ordinance is adopted, and then are subject to fines.
Before Wednesday’s meeting, Miller said that children under 12 generally lack the reaction time and maturity to make quick decisions to handle the high speed of e-bikes.
Some leaders in other cities have said that the ban for riders under 12 does not go far enough to address growing safety concerns, and some cities have adopted additional rules as a result. Carlsbad, for instance, banned e-bikes at local parks and allowed law enforcement to confiscate bikes from minors riding unsafely, among other measures.
Escondido Mayor Dane White said Wednesday that he had heard from several families who depend on their children riding e-bikes to school. He asked if the city could look into a policy to allow riders under 12-years-old to travel to school – if they took a class and got a permit.
“I’d like to get away from banning it entirely,” White said.
As presented on Wednesday, the proposal would allow law enforcement to temporarily confiscate and impound e-bikes if riders are not using them safely. Officers could also issue administrative citations for reckless riding to people on e-bikes or their parents if they are minors. Riders would be allowed to opt for police department-approved safety education courses instead of paying a fine.
White said he would also like to consider not having an escalating fee schedule for picking up e-bikes.
Several members of the San Diego Mountain Biking Association and people who ride their bikes at Daley Ranch spoke at Wednesday’s meeting and said they were especially concerned about maintaining trail use. Miller clarified that Class 1 e-bikes – which are pedal-powered, as opposed to Class 2 e-bikes, which also have a throttle – would still be allowed on trails, in John Masson Memorial Bike Park or Kit Carson Park and on Daley Ranch.
Peter Hulburt, the executive director of the San Diego Mountain Biking Association, said after the meeting that he was looking forward to continuing the discussion across the city.
“Tonight, our ask is simple,” he had said earlier during public comment. “You’ve already heard some of our concerns. We hope to continue to work with the city as we improve this ordinance, so we can deliver something strong and enforceable for the city of Escondido.”
Type of Content
News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
