SEAL BEACH, Calif. — It’s becoming increasingly common to see e-bikers doing wheelies outside of In-N-Out or going faster than your own vehicle on Lampson Ave., which raises a pivotal question: Are e-bikes safe? Should teenagers and preteens be able to go as fast as a car when so few of them wear a helmet for protection? Essentially, these kids are legally riding something equivalent to a motorcycle when it gets to certain speeds, with significantly less protection.
Many kids have their e-bikes because they’re a form of self-reliant transportation, using them to hang out with friends or get to school. It goes faster than a traditional bike, but there are also certain risks associated with this.
“It’s convenient because it allows me to go further (than) pedal (bikes),” said Oak Middle School eighth grader Andrew Kekaks, “I get to hang out with my friends and just experience the thrill of going really fast.”
Not only can e-bikes cause harm to the riders, but they can also harm others, like on March 14, when a 70-year-old woman was hospitalized after a Duran E-Motorcycle crashed into her while crossing Main Street and Ocean Ave. in Old Town Seal Beach.
Another incident occurred in Yorba Linda involving a 12-year-old whose bike was altered to reach a maximum speed of 60 miles per hour instead of the set 40mph. The operator of the bike was critically injured, and the father of the operator was later arrested for federal charges of child endangerment, abuse and a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor for his involvement in altering the speech of the vehicle, leading to harm.
According to the city of Seal Beach, e-bikes and other motorized vehicles can’t be operated in public places, including but not limited to: sidewalks, public drainage facilities, courts and gyms.
Orange County has categories to distinguish different types of vehicles and if an e-bike doesn’t fall into Class 1, 2 or 3, then it is classified as an electric motorcycle.
Additionally, many are worried about these bikers doing wheelies in the streets and blocking traffic or running red lights.
“(You can stay safe) by following the rules of the road, by assuming that all cars don’t see you, making sure to look both ways before crossing and going into an intersection and (staying) in the bike lane,” said Kekaks.
Overall, if teenagers want to stay safe on their e-bikes, there needs to be adjustments on the way they drive through the streets.
“The faster someone is going in an accident will have a direct correlation to how severe their injuries are and the type of damage that occurs as a result,” said Seal Beach police officer David Rael-Brook, “Not to mention that the faster you go the less time you have to react and/or stop to avoid a collision or accident. Because of the increased weight, the bike is more difficult to control when evasive maneuvers are necessary to avoid an accident.”
Overall, although students may appreciate the convenience and independence that an e-bike grants them, bikers need to take basic safety precautions in order to avoid an accident and to always stay aware of their surroundings.
