Orange County is grappling with a rising number of deaths, injuries, and felony charges linked to e-bikes, prompting a countywide discussion on how to best address the growing safety concerns. Approaches vary, from intensified enforcement and educational campaigns to calls for substantial overhauls of existing infrastructure.
Earlier this month, the Orange County District Attorney’s office hosted an e-bike buyback program at Angel Stadium, a strategy typically reserved for firearms. District Attorney Todd Spitzer stated the program aimed to remove e-bikes from streets and disseminate educational information about their safe use. However, the event quickly ran out of its $100,000 budget for gift cards, leaving hundreds of Southern California residents waiting in line unable to turn in their bikes.
The urgency of the situation was underscored by local residents, including Jesse Hayes and his mother Kasey Hayes, who spoke at the September 13 buyback event. Jesse Hayes said he suffered a traumatic brain injury and was unresponsive for months after being hit by a car while riding his e-bike in Huntington Beach in October 2024. Despite his mother describing him as a safe rider, Jesse was placed on life support and has been in rehabilitation, still recovering two years later. Kasey Hayes emphasized, “There is a misconception of these kids that get hit, they’re all riding reckless, they’re all doing wheelies, they’re all out of control. That’s not true.” She attributed e-bike dangers to inadequate bike lanes, distracted drivers, and improper riding.
District Attorney Spitzer described the buyback as one component of a broader strategy, which includes education, prosecution, and infrastructure improvements, to reduce e-bike-related deaths. However, while policing and a patchwork of local laws have increased, infrastructure designed to support safe e-bike riding has largely remained unaddressed.
Anjali Tapadia, a Fullerton resident who chairs the city’s Active Transport Committee, expressed concern that the buyback program negatively portrays e-bikes, treating them like dangerous objects similar to guns or illegal electric motorcycles. Tapadia, whose comments do not reflect the committee, views e-bikes as a positive tool for community building and fostering connection. She argued that the lack of bike-friendly infrastructure and still-developing regulations create significant safety challenges. Tapadia highlighted that most collisions at intersections stem from poor road design that places cyclists and drivers in conflict rather than resolving it. She stressed that designated bike lanes offering various levels of protection for cyclists are the most immediate change cities could implement.
A report by the Mineta Transportation Institute and San Jose State University supports this view, indicating that updated infrastructure is among the most effective methods for cities to prevent e-bike injuries and fatalities. The report also found that while solo accidents account for most e-bike injuries, most fatalities result from collisions with other vehicles.
The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) currently offers support for bikeway creation, planning, and grants that cities can apply for to develop bike infrastructure. Megan Abba, an OCTA communications specialist, noted there are approximately 1,000 miles of bikeways in Orange County, with 54% of primary roadways featuring a bike lane. It is up to individual cities to collaborate with OCTA on these plans or secure grant funding.
Education is consistently cited as a crucial element for accident prevention, especially for young riders and their parents. District Attorney Spitzer stated, “Kids are dying because they don’t understand the vehicles that they’re driving.” He emphasized a preference for education over prosecution or arrest, aiming for young people to ride responsibly. Tim Weisberg, deputy director of communications and public affairs at the California Office of Traffic Safety, echoed the need for increased education for both riders and their parents, acknowledging the benefits of e-bikes only apply when ridden safely. There is no county-level standardized e-bike education, leaving each city to develop its own.
Huntington Beach stands out as the only city in Orange County with its own e-bike education program. The Huntington Beach Police Department has partnered with local school districts to mandate a 70-minute course for students who ride e-bikes to school. This program includes simulated real-world experiences, such as emergency braking and proper helmet use, and covers California traffic laws. Youth cited for improper e-bike riding can waive their citation by attending the course with their parents.
Despite ongoing efforts by county and city leaders to regulate e-bike use and plan for safer infrastructure, injuries have continued to spike, particularly among young people. In May, a 13-year-old boy in Garden Grove died after his e-motorcycle struck a center median at 35 miles per hour, according to the Garden Grove Police Department. Last fall, two Cal State Fullerton students riding e-scooters near campus were struck, with one succumbing to her injuries.
