San Diego Votes to Limit E-Bikes, Banning Children Under 12

This is an edited version of Voice of San Diego’s “Reining in E-Bikes”

The San Diego City Council passed new e-bike regulations on Tuesday. It joins Chula Vista, Coronado and Carlsbad, which have also passed regulations.

The new law will ban children younger than 12 from riding Class 1 and 2 e-bikes. (Class 1 and 2 bikes can not go faster than 20 miles per hour. Class 3 bikes are already limited in California to people 16 and older.) Children who break the law will be subject to fines.

A study at one trauma center in San Diego found that e-bike accidents involving children increased by more than 300 percent between 2019 and 2023, according to a report by city staff.

Here’s an excerpt from that report (excluding footnotes):

Hospitals across San Diego County have reported an approximate 20 percent increase in e-bike and electric motorcycle injuries since 2021. Reported injuries include head injuries, torso trauma, rib fractures, spinal fractures, and extremity fractures. Many patients have been children and teenagers suffering preventable harm.

Recent reporting and medical research further demonstrate the growing severity and frequency of e-bike injuries among youth in San Diego County. A study conducted at a pediatric Level 1 trauma center in San Diego found that from 2019 through 2023, e-bike accidents involving children increased by more than 300 percent. Researchers also found that e-bike injuries among youth not only result in higher rates of concussions and internal injuries, but also frequently involve extremity fractures and orthopedic trauma requiring surgery, hospitalization, and rehabilitation. Excluding incidents involving vehicles, youth riding e-bikes are still 4x more likely to sustain an extremity injury than those riding a pedal-only bike.

Additional reporting found that trauma activations involving e-bike accidents at a San Diego pediatric hospital increased from three cases in 2021 to 262 cases by the end of 2025. Medical professionals reported that many injuries resemble those seen in motorcycle or low-speed vehicle crashes due to the higher speeds associated with e-bikes.

Local collision data also reflects the growing prevalence of e-bike crashes. According to reporting analyzing San Diego Police Department data, e-bike collisions in the City nearly quadrupled from 23 incidents in 2021 to at least 84 incidents in 2025.

California Vehicle Code sections 312.5 and 21213 categorize e-bikes into three classes:

• Class 1: Pedal-assist only. The motor assists while pedaling and cuts off at 20 mph. No throttle is allowed. There is no age restriction, license requirement, or course requirement
• Class 2: These models include a throttle, so they can be operated without pedaling, but the motor still caps at 20 mph. Riders can choose to pedal or throttle. There is no age restriction, no
  license requirement, or course requirement to be on the road.
• Class 3: Pedal-assist only, up to 28 mph, must have a speedometer, and throttles are not allowed. Statewide, riders must be at least 16 years old. There is no license or course require

Improving the safety of children traveling to and from school is a priority for the city. City Councilmember Raul Campillo authored the law. “Without a doubt these regulations will save lives,” he said, according to City News Service.