Starting next January, the sidewalk speed limit for electric bicycle speed limit will be capped at 10 mph in California.
The state government is stepping up safety regulations as accidents involving electric bicycles and motorized bicycles surge across California.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed three related bills aimed at restricting e-bike sidewalk speeds, regulating child usage, and tightening crackdowns on false sales of motorized bicycles.
First, the sidewalk speed limit for electric bicycles within the state will be restricted to 10 mph (AB 2346). While the basic speed limit is set at 10 mph, local governments can adjust the limit up to 20 mph on bike lanes and multi-use paths based on their judgment. Additionally, starting in 2029, all electric bicycles will be required to feature front and rear lights.
Another law (SB 1167) prohibits falsely advertising or labeling motorized vehicles as electric bicycles. Some products attach cosmetic pedals to make them look like e-bikes to deceive buyers, but their actual operation falls under motorized bicycles, a loophole this measure aims to block completely.
A bill addressing child safety (AB 2595) allows San Mateo County to ban children under 12 from operating Class 1 and Class 2 electric bicycles. This legislation was prompted by a tragic accident in August of last year in Burlingame, San Mateo County, where an SUV collided with an 11-year-old child riding an e-bike before striking and killing a 4-year-old child on the sidewalk. Once enforcement begins, parents or guardians will face fines for violations.
According to researchers at UC San Diego, e-bike accidents in California skyrocketed 783-fold from just 2 cases in 2018 to 1,566 cases in 2024. Out of 4,035 total accidents, 630 cases (15.6%) involved teenagers aged 14 or younger. In Southern California particularly, electric and motorized bicycle accidents surged by 430% over the past four years.
Casualties continue to mount. In May in Garden Grove, a 13-year-old boy died after crashing a motorized bicycle—which is prohibited on public roads—into a median divider. In Lake Forest, a 14-year-old boy struck and killed an 81-year-old pedestrian.
