SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The growing popularity of e-bikes has had an inevitable consequence: more bicycle-involved crashes.
In 2022, 225 of the 9,600 crashes involving bicycles in California involved an electric bike.
Four people died.
Now, in response to the faster speeds and increased weight of such bikes, California is rolling out a new safety course. Developed by the California Highway Patrol with the input of various safety groups, the e-bike safety and training program is a free, learn-at-your-own-pace online course that teaches e-bikers of all types best practices for riding.
The first e-bike safety and training program offered by the state of California, the CHP program “is designed to promote safety for those who choose to ride this alternative mode of transportation,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said in a statement announcing the course Thursday.
The electric bicycle safety and training program was developed after California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1946 into law on Aug. 15, 2022. The law, which took effect Jan. 1, required the California Highway Patrol to develop a statewide safety and training program for e-bike users that included how to ride safely, maneuver during emergencies and follow the rules of the road.
California defines an electric bicycle as a bike equipped with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts. There are three e-bike classifications. Class 1 models are pedal-assisted and have a maximum speed of 20 mph. Class 2 are throttle-assisted and have a maximum speed of 20 mph. Class 3 are pedal-assisted with a maximum speed of 28 mph; they also require the rider to be at least 16 years old and to wear a helmet.
The increased speeds compared with pedal bikes are part of the reason e-bike crashes are on the rise, quadrupling from 80 reported crashes in 2021, according to the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, to 225 last year.
The new e-bike safety class comes as the California Legislature considers another bill that would prevent people under the age of 12 from using e-bikes. AB 530 would also create an e-bike license program that would include an online written test and a state-issued photo ID for people who don’t have a driver license.
It also comes as the California Air Resources Board is finalizing the details on an e-bike incentive that would provide as much as $1,000 to help eligible applicants afford to buy an electric bicycle.
While e-bikes have been widely available in the U.S. for at least 15 years, they first became popular during the pandemic, as more people looked for outdoor activities and as regular pedal bicycles were in short supply. According to the National Bicycle Dealers Association, electric bicycle sales were $1.3 billion last year and are expected to reach at least $1.6 billion this year.
Through tutorials and photos, the new course helps riders determine if an e-bike is even the right choice for their needs, whether it be for commuting, exercise or adventure, and then to determine the best type of e-bike to meet those needs.
It also includes a section for parents, informing them of the risks of allowing young people to ride an e-bike since they do not have a driver’s license and may not know the rules of the road. The class cites the Consumer Products Safety Commission recommendation that children between the ages of 9 and 12 not operate any product that travels faster than 10 mph.
The class incorporates multiple videos from the League of American Bicyclists that walk students through safety basics such as the proper fit for e-bike frames, helmets and proper riding gear for various weather conditions and times of day.