Anaheim Council Weighs E-Bike Rules as Crashes Climb From 2 to 38 in Two Years
The Anaheim City Council, in Orange County, California, took up the regulation of electric bicycles at its October 27 meeting. Police Chief Manny Cid told the council that e-bike-related crashes in the city rose from 2 in 2024 to 16 in 2025 and 38 so far in 2026, and that the city is studying clearer local rules to manage them.
California law divides e-bikes into three classes by top speed and motor power, with different rules on rider age, helmets and passengers, but the police department said high-speed modified bikes and speeding or red-light-running by young riders are hard to police under the current wording. Options discussed by the council included clarifying the city's regulatory code and expanding outreach and education for parents and students.
Several council members focused on youth safety, noting that many crashes involve underage riders and illegally modified bikes. City staff said they will study approaches taken by other California cities and bring a specific ordinance proposal back to the council. No vote on new rules was taken that night.
The Anaheim Police Department advises residents that parents buying e-bikes for children should confirm the bike's class complies with California law, and that riders should wear helmets and obey traffic signals. Further regulatory steps will be published through City Council agendas.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 阿纳海姆市政厅西侧。 The west side of Anaheim City Hall. 摄影：Ken Lund。CC BY 2.0，摄影：Ken Lund，经 Wikimedia Commons。Photo by Ken Lund, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
