Meeting Invoice 2259, which was launched by State Meeting Member Tasha Boerner of Carlsbad, creates a complete, on-line coaching handbook for e-bike riders. The concept is that it’s for e-bikes what the motive force’s schooling handbook is for drivers.
It’s designed to work with one other invoice, AB 2234, often called the San Diego Electrical Bicycle Security Pilot Program. The handbook created by AB 2259 will function the curriculum for AB 2234.
If the measures move, they might require kids aged 12 and as much as take the protection class to be able to experience a Class 1 or 2 e-bike. You should be at the least 16 years outdated to experience a Class 3 e-bike.
Meeting member Boerner’s workplace launched an announcement in help of the payments:
“With extra e-bikes on the highway, these accidents have occurred extra ceaselessly and resulted in extreme accidents and even deaths. E-bike accidents have change into extra prevalent than conventional bicycle accidents, with kids 13 years and underneath making up nearly all of e-bike accidents requiring a hospital go to.
“In line with the Nationwide Digital Damage Surveillance System, there have been 3,945 e-bike accidents between 2011 and 2020. The e-bike accidents elevated over time through the research interval, with the 10-13 12 months outdated age group making up 44% of these accidents. Kids underneath 14 comprised 72% of e-bike accidents over the research interval.
“As a mom, I consider that we should act to stop our youth from accidents and educate dad and mom on the advantages and accountability of e-bikes, and AB 2234 takes a step to extend their security whereas sharing the highway. Given the rise of e-bike incidents which have taken place in our communities, it turns into the accountability of the group and the state to make sure not one other considered one of our kids is critically injured,” she mentioned. “By means of schooling “and redirection, not punishment, we are able to educate younger riders to take accountability for his or her security and the protection of others on the highway.”
Not everybody believes the payments will outcome within the meant impact. In line with the Encinitas Advocate, native e-bike advocates—unnamed—have expressed concern that the payments will place an undue burden on dad and mom who’re already unfold skinny.
