The San Diego City Council passed a set of electronic bike regulations Tuesday intended to improve safety for children and families and reduce reckless riding.
The regulations are subject to a second reading on June 30, but if approved again, they will go into effect 30 days later.
"Without a doubt these regulations will save lives," said Councilman Raul Campillo, who led the effort to get the regulations passed. "I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who has rallied around this important issue to help keep children and families safe throughout our city."
Specifically, the regulations would:f
- Impose an age limit of 12 years for class 1 and 2 e-bikes;
- Reinforce helmet requirements and passenger restrictions (passengers are only allowed if the e-bike is specifically designed to accommodate multiple riders with a permanent second seat); and
- Provide an option for cited individuals to complete an e-bike safety course instead of a $25 fine.
Additionally, 30 days of public outreach would be required before enforcement goes into effect, followed by a 60-day warning period before citations would be issued.
"As a pediatric trauma surgeon at Rady Children's Hospital who cares for injured children every week, I've seen how quickly e-bike crashes can change a family's life," Dr. Romeo Ignacio Jr. said. "Setting a minimum age of 12 is a simple, practical safeguard that helps keep our youngest riders safe while still supporting active transportation for older youth.
"Children under 12 simply aren't developmentally ready for the speed, weight, and split-second decisions e-bikes demand," he added. "This proposal for an age restriction gives families a clear standard, helps schools and community groups teach safety more effectively, and aligns San Diego with national trends toward responsible e-mobility."
In 2024, county hospitals recorded 865 emergency department visits and 186 hospitalizations related to e-bike-related accidents. Earlier this year, San Diego County officials issued an advisory recommending doctors counsel patients and families on applicable laws, screen for e-bike use during injury and well-child visits and encourage safety training programs.
"A public health alert is one of the strongest tools our county has to warn San Diegans when people are getting hurt, and the danger is preventable," Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer said. "Far too many kids are ending up in our emergency rooms, and that's not acceptable."
The California vehicle code defines e-bikes as: "[A] bicycle equipped with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts." It breaks e-bikes into three distinct categories:
- Class 1 e-bikes provide "assistance only when the rider is pedaling and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 20 mph";
- Class 2 e-bikes operate "via pedal-assist or throttle and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 20 mph"; and
- Class 3 e-bikes, which provide "assistance only when the rider is pedaling and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of 28 mph."
State law allows Class 1, 2 and 3 e-bikes to operate on public roadways and bike paths, according to the San Diego Police Department.
However, "high-powered electric motorcycles are not street legal," officials said.
"The growing number of severe injuries among young riders makes it clear that deceivingly powerful e-bikes pose a significant danger to children," county Public Health Officer Dr. Sayone Thihalolipavan said. "It is possible e-bike injuries are being unreported due to being misclassified as non-electric bicycle injuries. Getting better data will help us highlight the seriousness of this public health issue."
Once the city council officially approves the regulations, city staff will begin a public outreach campaign to promote an education-first enforcement while strengthening parent and youth training and accountability.
"I applaud the city of San Diego for taking e-bike safety seriously and prohibiting children under the age of 12 from riding e-bikes," said state Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas. "Youths who lack maturity and training on road safety and rules should not be driving high powered, motorized vehicles. E-bikes are an important part of a modern bicycling landscape and common-sense guardrails like this one need to be adopted."
Assemblywoman Tasha Boerner, D-Encinitas, wrote a bill allowing cities to pass regulations on e-bikes.
"I love e-bikes, and as a mom with two children who ride them, I worry daily about them getting home safely," she said. "When I authored AB 2234, I had one goal in mind — to protect our kids on the road and prevent these tragic accidents from happening across San Diego. I am grateful to Councilmember Campillo for championing this important ordinance in San Diego. This is the decisive step needed to make our streets safer for families and children."
Last year, Chula Vista approved an ordinance for electric micromobility vehicles, banning anyone under the age of 12 from riding a Class 1 or Class 2 electric bicycle and making it a crime for an adult to knowingly allow them to do so.
Other stipulations in the ordinance state that no person under age 18 can transport any passengers on any electric micromobility vehicle.
Additionally, all electric micromobility vehicles — defined as "lightweight, low-speed electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, motorized scooters, electrically motorized boards, and low-speed vehicles" — are prohibited from operating on sidewalks in business districts and select neighborhoods, and Class 3 electric bicycles and motorized scooters would be prohibited on any sidewalk in the city.
Carlsbad has passed similar regulations.
Public safety leaders have offered the following safety tips for e- bike riders:
- Ride in bike lanes, roads or bike paths that allow them;
- Don't ride on crosswalks (which are for pedestrians only), near businesses or on sidewalks;
- Ride in the same direction as traffic and use bike lanes when available;
- Obey all traffic signs and signals, just as motor vehicle drivers do;
- Passengers are only allowed if the e-bike is designed for them.
Helmets are required for riders under 18, and for all ages for Class 3 bikes.
