E-bike education and enforcement has led to a reduction in problems on Oahu’s roads according to Honolulu Police.
“For District 8, which is the Eva Beach, Kapolei and Leeward Coast communities, we’ve seen a reduction in e-bike or illegal electric dirt bike use,” said HPD Acting Major Marino Carreira.
Illegal electric dirt bikes don’t have pedals and can reach high speeds, while e bikes have pedals like a bicycle and go less than 25 mph.
Along with police seeing fewer of them on the roads, they are also hearing less from concerned residents.
“We’ve also seen an improvement in complaints. So we’ve gotten less complaints about them in the community.”
District 8 routinely conducts e bike enforcement, most recently in June. Those efforts are paying off, according to Carreira
“We actually have in District 8 more citations, arrests, and recoveries than we did in 2025.”
So far this year, 49 citations have been issued for violations. Many times a rider will receive more than one violation or worse – an arrest.
“Driving one of these things, it’s like driving without a license, and that’s arrest able.”
Carreira credits part of the positive change to the Dept of Education’s e-bike ban on school campuses. That may discourage teens from getting and riding the electric devices.
Along with the fact illegal ones can be seized and now sold off, thanks to Act 259. That was signed into law last month.
It sets state safety standards, and gives police more direction on seizing and auctioning off illegal electric devices.
“Illegal electric devices are prohibited from being on the roadways. So just being on the roadway, they can be seized.”
Honolulu police officers are not the only first responders seeing a difference on our streets, EMS has also noticed a decrease in e-bike accidents this year as well.