HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — E-bikes are increasing in popularity across the state, and with that comes an increased level of danger.
What You Need To Know
According to Rady Children’s Health of Orange there were 201 e-bike trauma related visits in 2025
Rady Children’s Health of Orange reported 2024 saw 125 e-bike trauma-related visits
The city of Carlsbad has a minimum riding age of 12 and bans riders under 16 from carrying passengers
The city of Newport Beach is also cracking down on unsafe e-bike riding by requiring kids under 18 to wear helmets and prohibiting reckless riding like weaving in and out of traffic, wheelies and sidewalk riding in certain areas
“Kids, this is why speed is such a big deal,” said Sgt. Brad Smith, a patrol sergeant with the Huntington Beach Police Department.
Cities across Orange County are cracking down on reckless e-bike riding to prevent crashes and potential deaths.
Huntington Beach has established itself as a leader in addressing e-bike safety and in 2025 launched the first police-led e-bike safety program in the state.
“We are trying to make it so you guys can ride your bikes safely in the city, not get any tickets,” Smith said.
Kyle Levassiur is the father of two children who ride e-bikes. He said he told them they were required to take the course if they wanted to ride their e-bikes on the streets.
“How fast some of them can go is kind of scary, and being a driver around here, I hope all kids would take a course to be more aware,” Levassiur said.
According to Rady Children’s Health of Orange, there were 201 e-bike trauma-related visits in 2025. That’s an increase compared to 2024, which saw 125 e-bike trauma-related visits.
(Spectrum News/Cody Taylor)
Donovan Levassiur is Kyle’s son, and after riding e-bikes for three years, he said his dad wanted him to take a safety course. He noted that many of his friends have crashed their e-bikes.
“My friends have looped out, which is when you wheelie and you fall backward. That is the most common thing my friends have done, or they have crashed into cars,” Lesser said.
Huntington Beach isn’t the only city taking steps to protect e-bike riders. The city of Carlsbad has a minimum riding age of 12 and bans riders under 16 carrying passengers.
The city of Newport Beach is also cracking down on unsafe e-bike riding by requiring kids under 18 to wear helmets and prohibiting reckless riding like weaving in and out of traffic, wheelies, and sidewalk riding in certain areas.
Newport Beach Councilwoman Michelle Barto said the city is working with the Newport Beach Police Department to develop a diversion program for first-time offenders.
“If parents choose to, they can have that ticket waived by sitting through a Saturday program with the police department, which they generally offer in lieu of a ticket,” Barto said.
Sgt. Mike Thomas with the Huntington Beach Police Department said drivers are required to take a test before receiving their driver’s license, and he feels this should also be required for e-bikes.
“We are trying to give them practical skills in order to safely ride their e-bikes in public because we found that a lot of the riders just didn’t have that behind the wheel training,” Thomas said.
Donovan said when he came to the safety course with his dad he didn’t expect to learn much, but he did.
”With this drill going around cars, with the other drill if there is parked cars you can maneuver around them and with the stopping drills over there I feel like if there is a car in front of you and you don’t see it, use both breaks,” Donovan said.
