What Can My Jurisdiction Do To Address the E-Moto Problem and Reduce Youth Injuries and Fatalities?

1. Get the data: What are your youth actually riding and what is the accident rate?

   With the schools’ permission, physically count the number and brands of bicycles, e-bikes (by class) and e-motos. Ask police to track accidents by type and brand of e-bike/e-moto. Use Public Records Act to access existing records.

Reminder: Throttle or class 2 e-bikes cannot have a motor larger than 750 watts or capable of working above 20 mph. If it does, it’s an e-moto, and licensing and registration requirements apply. Most e-motos are not street legal for any age rider.  

2. Enforce Existing Laws: If your experience is anything like Marin's, you will find that the large majority of so-called "e-bikes" at your schools are actually "e-motos." Operating an e-moto without a driver’s license and DMV registration is a crime in California and most states. Cal. Veh. Code 12500.

Enforcing these laws will have a major, immediate impact.

Support training for law enforcement officers on how to tell the difference between legal e-bikes and illegal e-motos. Key first step is to identify the offending brands.

3, Expand your authority.  The California state legislature has already authorized Marin and San Diego counties to enact pilot programs for minimum ages for throttle Class 2 e-bikes (which will also cover e-motos mislabeled as e-bikes).  Other counties should ask their state legislators to obtain the same authority for their counties. This will provide a complementary way to educate parents, help schools keep their students safe, and aid law enforcement.