E-bike Safety Tips

By Stelet Kim

Electric bicycle (e-bike) popularity is surging, particularly amongst youth. They can be a great form of transportation, helping replace car trips, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting independence and social interaction with peers. The California Air Resources Board has even funded two rounds of e-bike incentive vouchers in recent years, providing up to $2,000 to support the purchase of a new e-bike to qualified California residents. 

Considering an e-bike for yourself or a youth in your household? Keep these laws and notes in mind!

Laws:

• Any person under the age of 18 is required to wear a helmet when riding a bicycle. 

• E-bike riders are subject to the same rules as motorists: you must ride to the right of the road as practical, use bike lanes unless traveling as fast as traffic, and stop at crosswalks for pedestrians, at red lights, and stop signs.

• It is illegal to carry passengers on your e-bike unless your bike has an extra permanent seat or when using a child safety seat (and don’t forget helmets for passengers!).

• Proper reflective and lighting equipment must be used during night operation.

  
  

Notes:

• Be aware that laws and restrictions around e-bikes vary from state to state and even city to city, with some university campuses further regulating their usage.

• The US Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that children under the age of 12 not operate any e-bike that travels more than 10 mph.

• Note that many youths are utilizing “tuning kits” or apps to deactivate the maximum speed on their bike. These tools will become illegal in California on January 1, 2026, thanks to a new bill passed in July 2025, but they do still exist.