E-Bike Safety

Welcome, and thanks for being here. This is the e-bike safety lesson as part of the Mountain View Safe Routes to School program. Students, this is for you. Parents and guardians, we're glad you're watching alongside because the safest riders are the ones whose families are part of the conversation. Over the next few minutes, we'll cover what an e-bike actually is and how the law treats it, how it behaves differently from a regular bike, and the habits that keep riders safe. By the end, you'll be ready to take the quiz, and if your school requires it, complete the permit step. This is the sixth lesson of the grade 11 curriculum as and is required for e-bike permits and auto parking permits. Today, we're going to talk about e-bikes, what they can do, and the responsibilities that come with riding one. This lesson is for two audiences: students who own an e-bike or are thinking about getting one, and the parents and guardians who are here with you because deciding whether someone is ready to ride is a decision a family makes together. Why does this matter? E-bikes have gotten really popular with teens, and that's such a good thing, but a lot of riders and parents don't know the laws or fully understand the risks, and that's raised real safety concerns. That's exactly why education like this matters. By the end, you'll understand e-bike basics, safety practices, and the key legal requirements. Our goal isn't to scare anyone off riding. It's to help you become a wise and responsible rider. For more information, check the City of Mountain View e-bike page on this slide, or reach out to Preeti Ahmed at the email shown below. This slide is about figuring out which path applies to you and what to do next. There are two situations. First, if you're seeking an e-bike permit or just want to take the e-bike awareness test, there's a separate e-bike quiz for that. It's not required, but we highly encourage it. Second, if you're seeking a parking permit at your school, this lesson is required. That quiz for the parking permit pulls its questions straight from this recording as well as lesson seven, safer student driving. So, watch closely. Here are the steps. Have a for the e-bike quiz and permit. Have a parent or guardian watch this recording with you. Watch the video and review the checklist. Then, type in the link on the slide and take or in the description of the video and take the e-bike quiz. One quick note, the parking permit quiz link is a different one. It's tied to the safer student driving lesson, lesson seven, and you'll find it in that recording. Near the end of the quiz, there's a consent form. If it's required, a parent or guardian needs to fill it out for you to be able to use an e-bike for your journey to school. After that, let your school site administrator know your quiz results and share the signed consent form. The most important step is the last one. Commit to safe Commit to safe riding. The goal here isn't just to get a permit, it's to become a safe and responsible e-bike rider. Let's start with the basics, what an e-bike is and why it deserves more awareness as well as more skill than a regular bicycle. E-bikes are bicycles equipped with an electric motor that assists the rider. Under both federal and most state laws, an e-bike has three things: working pedals, an electric motor of 700 and 50 watts or less, and a motor that stops assisting once you reach about 20 mph on motor power alone. Remember these three three things because later we'll look at a devices We'll look at devices that break the rules and some that aren't legally e-bikes at all. The single most important difference between e-bikes and bikes are that e-bikes are heavier and faster and that combination changes how they handle. Look at the stopping distances. A pedal bike at about 6 mph needs around 35 ft to stop. To come to a stop when you apply the brakes. An e-bike at 20 mph can need around 131 ft, roughly the length of a basketball court. More weight and more speed means more energy to shed before stopping and injuries in a crash tend to be more severe. The takeaway is this. Be ready to brake earlier than you than you think you need to and even though e-bikes are powered, riders follow the same rules of the road as anyone on a regular bicycle. Not all e-bikes are the same. California recognizes three legal classes, each with different capabilities and requirements. All e-bikes have working pedals. Class 1 and Class 3 e-bikes are pedal assist, meaning the motor only helps you while you pedal. Class 2 bicycles have a throttle, so they can move without pedaling, but it's still capped at 20 mph. Now look at Class 3 e-bikes. It's the fastest, assisting up to 28 mph, so it has the stricter rules. You must be at least 16 to operate one and no passengers are allowed. Class 3 e-bikes are the only class of e-bikes required to have a speedometer. Since they can provide pedal assistance up to 28 mph, the speedometer helps riders monitor their speed and comply with applicable laws and regulations. Notice it's generally not permitted on paved trails and shared use paths, even though class one and class two often E-bikes often are. All riders are required to wear a helmet at all times while riding. What whether All riders under 18 are required to wear a helmet all the time while riding, whether it is a regular bike or an E-bike. And all class three E-bike riders are required to wear helmets because of the higher speeds. And finally, class three E-bikes are only legal for people 16 years or older. So, that's a lot of information, and this is where families need to pay attention before buying. If a bike puts out more than 750 W or keeps assisting past 28 mph, it's not an E-bike in California. It's illegally a motor vehicle. That means registration, insurance, a driver's license, and a motorcycle helmet, and most aren't street legal at all. Under Senate Bill 586, devices sold without pedals or built mainly for off-road speed are off-highway electric motorcycles, sometimes called E-motos, and they're not allowed on public streets, sidewalks, or bike paths. These headlines aren't hypothetical. Bay Area outlets have covered the rise of illegal E-motos among teens, cities tightening the rules, are and also describing a case where parents were charged after a crash that seriously injured a teenager. The point isn't to scare you, it's that the wrong device or modifying an illegal one has real consequences. Now, look at these two photos. On the left is what people call an e-moto or an electric dirt bike. On the right are real e-bikes. They can look similar at a glance and that's the problem. The bike on the left is not an e-bike even though it is sold and talked about like one. It is built for speed and power, not for pedaling to school. Here's the part to remember. Faster does not mean better. A more powerful bike takes more skill, more judgment, and more experience to ride safely. A new rider on a high-powered bike is a crash waiting to happen. So, when you are choosing an e-bike, do not chase the highest top speed. Choose the bike that is a bike and choose the bike that matches the rider's needs and abilities. The right bike is the one you can actually control. Next, let's look at some of the laws riders and families should know. Here are the core statewide rules. Riders under 18 must wear a helmet. No one under 16 may operate a class 3 bike. Class 3 e-bikes are capped at 28 mph and must have a speedometer. Uh rules are changing all the time. Currently, under AB Assembly Bill 544, an e-bike must have a red rear light or reflector at all times, not just at night. So, a daytime ride without one is now a violation. Under Assembly Bill 382, schools zone speed limits can drop to 20 mph and 15 is still allowed on certain narrow residential streets. And under Assembly Bill 1774, it's now illegal to sell, install, or use devices that defeat the speed limiters of 20 mph or 28 mph. Connecting the dots, modifying an e-bike to go faster can take it out of the legal e-bike category entirely, sending you right back to the motor vehicle problem. As we covered, high-powered e-motos are not e-bikes. On parent responsibility, a parent or guardian can be held responsible for the fine when their child rides without a required helmet. And more broadly, families are responsible for making sure a child's e-bike is legal and safe. Senate Bill 1271 sets stricter rules for selling and distributing e-bikes. Batteries must be tested by an accredited lab and meet recognized statewide standards, and a compliance label must be shown on the bike. Use only the manufacturer-approved charger. Never charge a damaged battery and don't leave a battery charged unattended for long stretches. If a battery becomes swollen, damaged, or unusually hot, stop using it immediately. These simple habits prevent the vast majority majority of lithium battery fires. Mountain View has its own e-bike rules on top of state law, and they change depending on where you ride. Trails, sidewalks, and school zones. On city multi-use trails, Stevens Creek, Permanente Creek, Hetch Hetchy, and the Bay Trail north of the US 101, the limit is 15 mph. Class 1 e-bikes are generally allowed. Class 2 and 3 access may be restricted, so check the posted signs. On sidewalks, e-bikes are allowed in most places, but only with care. Always yield to pedestrians, ride slowly, and announce before passing. They're not allowed everywhere, including the Castro Street sidewalks between Central Expressway and High School Way, where you should use the street or bike lane or walk the bike. And e-scooters, e-skateboards, one-wheels, and electric unicycles are never never allowed on sidewalks. In school zones, watch for Assembly Bill 382 signage lowering limits to 20 or 15 on narrow streets. And take extra caution around the campus at drop-off and pick-up. Laws keep you legal. Habits keep you safe. Here are the practical ones that matter most every ride. Before you ride, do a quick check. The easy way to remember the bike is the ABC quick check. Air in the tires, brakes working, chain on track. Quick release or bolts locked, plus a charged battery and working front white and rear red lights or reflectors. Then, fit your helmet with a 2V1 rule. Two finger widths above your eyebrows and level. Side straps forming a V under each ear, and one finger between strap and chin. Last, plan a safe route. While you ride, be predictable and visible. Slow down near pedestrians. Obey traffic rules and ride defensively because drivers often don't realize you're moving faster than a regular bike. And turning cars are a common danger. Consider wearing bright clothing and use your lights. Follow the rules of the road. Stop fully at red lights and stop signs. Use hand signals before turning. And ride in the same direction as traffic, never against it. This last This last section is a practical checklist for families. The e-bike itself, the rider's skills, and an honest assessment for parents. This readiness checklist is about before the pur- purchase. Before you buy, start with insurance, since it's the thing people forget. Check whether your homeowner's, renter's, or auto policy actually covers an e-bike, because many exclude them. And ask specifically about theft, damage, and liability, so there are no surprises later. Then look closely at the bike itself. Make sure the class fits the rider's age, keeping it keeping in mind that class three is for a rider 16 years and o- older. Confirm the motor is 750 W or less, because if it's more, it's not a bike. And check the battery for a UL 2849 or EN 15194 certification label. And steer clear of anything with a limiter unlock or speed modification features, because that's what can turn a legal e-bike into an illegal one. After that, it's the practical stuff that keeps the rider safe and the bike yours. Front and rear lights, uh rear reflec- or rear reflector, a properly fitted helmet that meets the standards, and a good U-lock, which runs about $60 to $100. Finally, photograph the serial number and register the bike with a service like Bike Index or 529 Garage or the police department. It won't stop theft, but if the bike is ever found, the registration is what lets police or a shop match it back to you and prove it's yours. This part of the readiness checklist is about required rider skills. These skills don't develop overnight. We recommend supervised and prac- supervised practice before riding independently, especially if the route includes busy intersections or school traffic. Can the rider start, stop, and balance at low speed? Can the rider ride one-handed long enough to signal? Can they brake from full assist speed and and feel uh within a safe stopping distance? Can they look over their shoulder without swerving, signal left, right, and stop confidently, and scan at intersection left, right, left, and behind before crossing streets and driveways. Here are a few things to build real readiness. Practice an emergency stop at 15, 20, and for class three even 28 mph. Riding the actual school route at least once with a parent. Doing all of this fully loaded with a backpack, which changes the balance, and at least 10 hours of practice before riding independently. If a rider can't check these off honestly, they're not ready yet, and that's okay. Practice closes the gap. And a non-electric bike is a is also a great option. Finally, related to the readiness checklist, this section is about parent caregiver assessments. This This one's for you, parents and guardians. Before signing off on an independent ride for an independent riding experience, work through these honestly. Have you reviewed the student skills checklist and the e-bike laws together? Does your child have enough cycling experience to handle a heavier, faster bike? Do they truly understand that e-bikes need longer stopping distances? Have you ridden together on real roads and pathways, and are you genuinely confident that your child can ride safely and wisely without supervision? If the answer is not yet, that's useful information, not a failure. Just a bit more practice together first. Thank you for watching and for taking e-bike safety seriously. The next step is for students to take the quiz and for parents to complete the consent form near the end of the student's quiz. If anything came up or you're unsure whether a bike or device is legal, reach out to Prioty Ahmed at the email on the screen. Ride smart, stay visible, and look out for the people around you. If you are taking this class for a parking permit at Los Altos or Mountain View High School, continue on to the safer student driving presentation and take the quiz at the end of that second presentation.