New UCSF study raises questions over e-bike and e-scooter safety

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KGO) — The electric bicycle market is growing fast as many young teens take their e-bikes and scooters to school.

For the past 16 years, Dough Schwartz has sold e-bikes and scooters at ELV Motors in Santa Clara.

In California, there are three e-bike classes depending on their features.

“This is what a lot of the kids love this is the Super 73 this is a class 3 at 28 miles an hour,” Schwartz said.

And then there’s the products marketed as e-bikes but the motor can go over 28 miles per hour.

“We put this as an off-road vehicle because you can flip the switch and it can do 50 miles an hour,” Schwartz said.

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With that power comes responsibility.

A recent UCSF study highlighted the dangers.

E-bike injuries doubled nationally from 2017 to 2022, while e-scooter injuries rose by 45% each year.

Co-author Kevin Li said the median age in e-bike injuries was around 39 years old, and e-scooters involved adults 30 years old.

“I think on a ridership level there’s probably a lot more public education and enforcement of regulations that can happen, particularly with helmets, and speed limits,” Li said.

Li said the study is not anti-e-bike, but rather a look at the emerging trend.

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“I think this is kind of the first step in terms of understanding the issue and from there we can think of potential policy interventions and potentially infrastructure changes to address it,” Li said.

More regulations are happening.

The first day of school for the Larkspur-Corte Madera School District is Wednesday. Beginning this fall, students who ride an e-bike between home and school will be required to register for a permit.

Only class 1 and 2 e-bikes will be allowed on campuses.

The executive director of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, Tarrell Kullaway, supports a bill that would make the sale of out-of-class vehicles illegal in the state.

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“If that law passes which we believe it will, I don’t think it takes effect until 2026 and so this registration process that’s happening in the schools in Marin County is kind of a band-aid approach until something like that would take effect,” Kullaway said.

E-bike proponents say they are environmentally friendly, affordable and a great commuting option.

“We want to stay positive, and just let people know that for the most part, kids are riding these safely and the ones you hear about on Nextdoor and the ones that you’re pulling your hair out because they’re riding in front of you unsafely- thankfully these are in the minority,” Kullaway said.

Back at ELV Motors, Schwartz is looking to expand to another location in Los Gatos.

“The city council from what I see is totally supportive of that so again as long as the bike is within the law, and the kids ride responsibly it should be safe,” Schwartz said.