By Mandy Havlik
Electric bicycles are transforming transportation but without clear rules and a strong safety framework, they are also making our streets more dangerous, especially for children. It’s common to see young riders without helmets, e-bikes speeding down sidewalks, and parents startled by close calls at intersections, school zones, and neighborhood walkways. The increasing frequency of these incidents is not just alarming, it is unacceptable.
Other cities in our region have taken decisive action. Poway, Chula Vista, Encinitas and Santee have all adopted e-bike regulations that establish clearer guidelines and elevate safety expectations. These cities recognize what San Diego has not yet acted upon; that e-bikes operated by untrained or underage riders pose real risks. As the largest city in the region, San Diego should not be trailing behind its neighbors in safeguarding its residents. It is time for our city to adopt the commonsense approaches outlined in California State Assembly Bill 2234 and implement them locally.
As a mother, I have an additional lens through which I see this issue. I have watched children who are far too young ride powerful e-bikes down busy streets without helmets, without understanding traffic laws, and without the experience needed to navigate unpredictable road conditions. It is terrifying to witness and deeply frustrating that the City of San Diego has not taken stronger steps to protect our kids. Parents should not have to rely on luck or constant fear when clear, enforceable rules could prevent tragedies before they happen.
The Peninsula Community Planning Board, where I serve as the First Vice Chair, and have served for seven years, approved a formal letter last year requesting that the City adopt AB 2234’s framework and take meaningful action on e-bike safety. Our board recognized early that the rise in youth e-bike injuries was not a short-term trend, but a growing public safety issue requiring urgent policy intervention. The City’s lack of response since that letter only reinforces the need for stronger leadership today.
California AB 2234 offers a responsible and balanced framework for local e-bike policies, particularly for youth riders. The legislation encourages cities to establish minimum age limits, safety training, and licensing programs for young people who ride e-bikes but do not yet have driver licenses. These requirements ensure that riders understand traffic laws, speed limitations, and safe roadway behavior before operating an e-bike that can travel twenty to thirty miles per hour. Adopting AB 2234 in San Diego would set reasonable expectations, including prohibiting children under twelve from riding e-bikes, requiring helmets for all riders under eighteen, creating simple online safety tests and licensing processes for teens, and focusing enforcement on education rather than punishment.
These guidelines are not about restricting freedom, they are about preventing injuries and saving lives. Other cities have demonstrated that comprehensive e-bike policies reduce collisions, reduce conflicts between cyclists and pedestrians, and reinforce a culture of shared responsibility on the road. If San Diego truly values safety and sustainability, then we must embrace e-bike policies that allow for responsible use without putting vulnerable people in harm’s way.
The San Diego City Council has a crucial opportunity right now to reverse course and adopt the AB 2234 framework. Doing so will not only protect children, drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians, it would also restore public trust that the City is committed to proactive, not reactive, safety measures. San Diego should also collaborate with the San Diego Unified School District to create an e-bike safety curriculum or licensing component for students. Teaching road safety early builds lifelong habits that prevent injuries and save lives.
Parents want to support their kids’ independence and healthy outdoor activity, but they also need to know that the City is doing its part to protect young riders. We should not wait for another serious accident or avoidable tragedy before updating our approach. The cities around us have shown that strong, balanced e-bike policies can be implemented quickly and successfully.
My message is simple. As parents, neighbors, and community leaders, we are asking the City of San Diego to act. Let us make e-bike safety a priority now, before another preventable accident forces us to confront what we failed to do. San Diego should lead on this issue, not lag behind.
Mandy Havlik is a resident of Point Loma and a candidate for City Council District 2.
If other District 2 candidates wish to write commentaries, send them to editor obragblog@gmail.com
The City of San Diego has a history of ignoring safety issues too long before acting. The president of one of the e-scooter companies clearly stated his marking strategy. Proliferate with City with e-scooters, build support among the population and then negotiate a deal with the City. AirBnB used the same strategy with whole home short term rentals. E-bikes are aggressive vehicles on the sidewalks just as 18 wheelers are aggressive vehicles on the highways. They are heavy (making them aggressive) and fun to ride fast. I agree with Mandy.