Marin County supervisors are weighing whether to put the brakes on e-bike riders under 16 years old due to an uptick in serious injuries to youth from crashes on throttle-assisted bikes.
A draft ordinance heading to the board of supervisors next week would make it illegal for children under age 16 to operate Class 2 e-bikes, which have a throttle and maximum assisted speed of 20 mph.
Marin County Public Health issued an e-bike safety alert in November 2023 after gathering data on 911 responses to e-bike injuries. The health agency found that the accident rate for 10- to 15-year-olds was five times higher than for all other age groups.
By contrast, the same group had a 1.5 times higher accident rate on conventional bikes.
Most worrisome was the nature of injuries from e-bike mishaps, which were much more serious than accidents involving conventional bicycles, according to a report to the board of supervisors from the Marin County Executive’s office.
E-bike accident injuries resemble those suffered in car crashes, “including internal bleeding, pelvic fractures, damage to vital organs, and brain trauma,” the report states.
School officials and law enforcement have noted that young riders are riding heavier, more powerful e-bikes — even before they become experienced bicycle riders. “Some throttle-powered e-bikes can also be modified by teens (illegally) to go up to 40 to 50 mph,” county officials said.
The ordinance will be considered at the Marin County Board of Supervisors’ March 25 meeting. If approved, the supervisors will vote on it again on May 20. It would take effect on July 1.
Marin County Supervisor Mary Sackett, who has pushed for increased e-bike safety measures since the health department’s alert in November 2023, encourages families to choose pedal-assist Class 1 e-bikes, which have no throttle, for young riders.
“E-bikes enable riders to travel farther distances and flatten the hills of Marin,” Sackett said. “We want people to ride e-bikes safely. This ordinance provides clarity: Young riders under age 16 should not be on throttle-powered e-bikes.”
The ordinance would also require all riders, regardless of age, to wear a helmet on throttle-assisted e-bikes.
Marin County’s proposed ordinance came about after State Assemblymember Damon Connolly’s Assembly Bill 1778 was approved last year, allowing jurisdictions in Marin to put restrictions on Class 2 throttle e-bikes. Marin’s cities and towns are expected to consider similar ordinances over the next few months.
An April 2024 report from the Marin County Civil Grand Jury, “With Power Comes Responsibility – Youths Under Age 16 Operating Class 2 E-Bikes: A Safety Risk” urged the county and cities to pass the new laws.
The March 25 meeting will be livestreamed and later archived on the County website and aired on the Community Media Center of Marin (CMCM) website. It will be aired live on Channel 27 for Comcast and AT&T U-verse subscribers.
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