On Jan. 24, Dana Point Police Services will be teaming up with Orange County Fire Authority to host the city’s first-ever Bicycle and E-Bike Safety Class, a free, family-friendly event at South Shores Church in Dana Point that aims to educate kids, teens and parents on safe riding habits and incident prevention.
“We want to make sure that we are directly involved with keeping, especially, our young e-bike riders safe, so the point of this class is so that we have a direct involvement and they hear it directly from us on safe ways to drive these e-bikes, ride these e-bikes and then also requirements that take place,” said Capt. Frank Gonzalez, Chief of Dana Point Police Services.
“There also isn’t a lot of training out there when it comes to e-bike safety, so I think it’s very important that we take a hands-on approach when it comes to making sure that these riders are safe, because ultimately we want people to enjoy themselves, but we want them to do it safely.”
The class will provide real-world examples of injury-related calls to which they’ve responded; highlight the importance of wearing helmets; offer fire-related tips specific to lithium-ion e-bike batteries; discuss bicycle and e-bike rules, rider responsibilities, and Vehicle Code basics; and provide do’s and don’ts of e-bike safety.
There will also be a live Q&A with Dana Point Police Services staff; a hands-on obstacle course for kids and teens; information booths from Super73, Doheny Bike and Murph Electric Bikes; and free giveaways for attendees.
Ellectric bikes can typically go between 20 to 28 mph with motor assistance in the U.S., depending on their legal class (Class 1 & 2 cap at 20 mph, Class 3 at 28 mph), though real-world speeds often settle around 15-20 mph due to terrain, rider weight and traffic. Powerful off-road or custom models with higher wattage motors (like 1000W-plus) can reach much faster speeds (30-plus mph), but often fall outside standard e-bike regulations.
Gonzalez said certain e-bikes are actually classified as motor vehicles because of their high-speed capability.
“These are more mountain bike types — that is, actually going to be part of the presentation, explaining the safety precautions,” Gonzalez said. “If you think about even 10 miles an hour on one of these e-bikes, if you aren’t wearing proper protection like a helmet, that could be dangerous, so speed alone isn’t the only factor.”
Despite e-bike incidents and accidents on the rise in other areas, Gonzalez said there haven’t been any major incidents in Dana Point involving e-bikes specifically.
“We actually are very happy with the community of Dana Point, that we actually get a lot of cooperation from families, from the schools, from the kids themselves; we are doing this more as just to increase the safety around it,” Gonzalez said.
“We just want to keep working on the momentum of the positive participation we’re getting from community members and just figuring out more ways to continue to keep people safe. I think it’s also our job to continue. I don’t think we should stop educating the public. I think we continue to educate to make sure that we stay in the good category, to continue to do a good job.”
Gonzalez also encourages people to contact the OC Sheriff’s Department if they see dangerous behavior on the public roadways.
“If members of the community see somebody riding an e-bike and they feel it’s dangerous, call us, and we will go out and we will make sure that everybody is safe,” Gonzalez said.
With the different types of e-bike categories and what needs to be registered properly, these are questions that can be answered at the class on Jan. 24. Gonzalez said this class is not only for bike riders, but motorists as well.
“I think this is a great class, because we all share the roadways together,” Gonzalez said. “Whether it’s driving a car, riding a motorcycle, an e-bike, a scooter, or somebody just jogging on the street, we all share these roadways together, and I think it’s important that we all get home safely together.
“So, this type of class creates an environment where we can educate ourselves on the safety of e-bikes, increasing the safety to make sure people are well aware of what they can and cannot do, and for motor risk also. Even if you do not have an e-bike, it’ll be a better understanding on what e-bikes are allowed and are not allowed to do.”
The class will take place on Saturday, Jan. 24, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., in the parking lot at South Shores Church in Dana Point, located at 32712 Crown Valley Parkway. Parents are encouraged to attend with their children and bring their bicycles and e-bikes.
Advance RSVP is required. To RSVP: forms.gle/7qyF1SjpctnojHvD6.
