New e-bike safety measures, including adopting a minimum age of 12 for riding e-bikes, will go before the City Council next Tuesday, Dec. 2. The recommendations are coming from staff and the city’s Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission. Here’s the background on each:

Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission recommendations

Cities in San Diego County and the county itself can prohibit children under 12 from riding e-bikes under State Assembly Bill 2234, which passed in 2024. As such, the Carlsbad City Council requested that the Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission hold a meeting to gather community input on the potential minimum age. At that meeting, the commission voted to recommend the City Council:

• Adopt a minimum age of 12 to operate an e-bike
• Pursue legislation prohibiting riders under age 16 from riding with passengers
• Pursue legislation that would allow Carlsbad to join Assembly Bill 1778, a pilot program in Marin County that allows local agencies to prohibit anyone under age 16 from riding a class 2 e-bike, which means it is throttle-assisted.

The city received more than 550 comments from community members before the commission meeting, most expressing support for a minimum age.

Additional staff recommendations

This summer, the City Council directed staff to develop recommendations to enhance enforcement tools to maintain public safety and address aggressive e-bike riding behavior, particularly among youth. 

Staff has returned with those recommendations, which the City Council will also consider at the Dec. 2 meeting. The recommendations are for new rules to strengthen Carlsbad’s approach and adjustments to clarify existing Carlsbad-specific e-bikes laws, including: 

• Updating the existing local e-bike law to clarify unsafe riding behavior, equipment requirements and the responsibilities of parents and guardians
• Prohibiting e-bikes at Poinsettia and Pine parks, following review of community feedback and calls for service received at these locations
• Establishing fees to recover administrative costs related to impounding e-bikes, as allowed by Assembly Bill 875
• Prohibiting anyone under 16 years of age from operating an e-bike when it’s dark outside

City Council meeting
Tuesday, Dec. 2, 5 p.m.
City Council Chamber
1200 Carlsbad Village Drive

View the staff report for more details.