Let's be Safer Together, Carlsbad!

The City of Carlsbad uses the three Es of traffic safety -- education, engineering and enforcement -- to help ensure everyone uses local streets safely. Thanks to your support, it's working! Please continue to look out for one another, follow our safety tips and share your commitment publicly so others will do the same.

New e-bike laws

New e-bike laws are now in effect in Carlsbad. Here is what to expect: 

  • Anyone operating an e-bike must be at least 12 years old, as allowed by Assembly Bill 2234.
  • When a minor breaks the rules and creates an immediate or substantial public safety risk, their e-bike may be impounded. The minor must complete an in-person safety course to retrieve the e-bike, and a parent or guardian must be present when the e-bike is released. 
  • The Police Department can also impound e-motorcycles, which are not street legal. 
  • E-bikes are prohibited at Poinsettia and Pine Avenue Community Parks. 

Additionally, the city's previously existing laws have been updated to provide additional clarity on safe riding behavior, including:

  • Riders must go at a safe speed for the conditions, factoring in weather, whether pedestrians are present and how quickly other traffic is moving.
  • Riders under 18 years old must wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet.
  • Only e-bikes designed for passengers can carry more than one rider.

  • Parents are responsible for knowingly allowing their children to commit violations. 

E-bike chart with e-motorcycles

More information

E-bike laws overview
View the new ordinance  
Watch a recording of the City Council meeting 

Safety classes

Several organizations off bike and e-bike safety courses online: 

Rules for e-bikes and e-motorcycles

Post Date:08/19/2024 1:58 PM

With the rise in popularity of e-bikes and the new school year approaching, you might start to see even more e-bikes on the street. When we talk to people about e-bikes and traffic safety, we’re often asked about the difference between e-bikes and e-motorcycles. 

E-bikes can be a helpful way for people to get around on city roads (as long as riders are being safe and following the rules of the road).

E-motorcycles, like Sur-ron, Talaria, 79-Bike, Rawrr Mantis, and Stark, to name a few, have a different set of rules and requirements and are designed for off-highway use only. To operate these, a driver's license with motorcycle endorsement, California vehicle registration and insurance are required. 

Here's a quick guide to telling the difference between an e-bike and an e-motorcycle.

Design

  • E-bikes look similar to traditional bicycles, with an added electric motor, and have pedals.
  • E-motorcycles are built more like traditional motorcycles, and don’t usually have pedals. The frames and tires are usually larger than those on e-bikes.

Function

  • E-bikes can be pedaled manually, used with pedal-assist or powered by the throttle alone.
  • E-motorcycles are powered by the motor, not by pedaling.

Speed

  • Even the fastest e-bikes max out at 28 mph. (There are three classes of e-bikes that can reach different speeds. Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes can reach 20 mph, while Class 3 e-bikes can reach 28 mph. Class 3 e-bike riders must be at least 16 years old.)
  • E-motorcycles are capable of reaching speeds well above 60 mph.

While there are additional rules and requirements for e-motorcycles, there are also Carlsbad-specific e-bike rules all e-bike riders need to follow. And rest assured, the Carlsbad Police Department will continue to proactively enforce traffic laws to help keep everyone safe.

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