I am a 12-year old Laguna Niguel middle school student and I believe too many of my classmates have been injured or involved in e-bike crashes. At school, on the bus or riding in the car, I have seen too many kids my age ride e-bikes irresponsibly without helmets, on jailbroken e-bikes, and operating them in ways that lead to crashes. I know this firsthand, as two of my friends have gotten injured in e-bike accidents.
I decided to start a change.org initiative called the “Implement E-Bike Safety Reform Now” petition. The petition asks for five simple reforms: an under-16 ban, except for non-jailbroken Class I pedal-assist e-bikes; universal speedometers; a county-issued bike license with an on-road test; a $160 fine for illegal or unsafe riding; and a Youth E-Bike Safety Fund that would use fine money for bike lanes and e-bike safety research.
All of these reforms are needed because many riders under 16 may not be ready to handle high-speed e-bikes safely. Without speedometers, riders may not even know how fast they are going. A county-issued license and on-road test would make sure riders understand the rules of the road. A $160 fine would also show parents and riders that unsafe e-bike use has real consequences. Finally, a Youth E-Bike Safety Fund could support more research on preventing crashes and help create safer bike lanes, keeping young e-bike riders away from car traffic and reducing the risk of collisions.
The goal is not to take freedom away from young riders. We have shown a way for responsible young riders to ride while making sure they do not put themselves or others in danger. As a 12-year-old, I believe kids should still be able to ride Class I e-bikes because they are more affordable for families and safer than Class II or Class III e-bikes. Young riders should have the right to independence, but that independence should be safe for them and for the people driving around them. It should not turn into dangerous recklessness.
I understand that e-bikes give kids independence, and that’s a reason why people like them so much. Independence is good, but it should come with the responsibility and knowledge needed to ride an e-bike safely, not just powerful e-bikes given to kids who do not understand the basic rules of the road. A license or test does not remove independence; it simply makes riders more prepared to share the road with cars and trucks. If we have safer riders who stick to bike lanes, as I have proposed with a Youth E-Bike Safety Fund, more people will trust young e-bike users. This could help guide Orange County toward no longer being fiercely divided over e-bikes.
This petition has also changed how I see my own voice. At first, I thought people older than me would not listen to me or care about what I had to say. But as the petition grew from only 20 signatures on the first day to the 750 I have today, I realized that my voice matters and that being young does not mean I cannot lead. I am now much more confident about speaking out, and I understand that change can start with even me: a 12-year-old noticing a problem and advocating for a solution.
Orange County should not wait for more crashes before taking e-bike safety seriously. We have seen multiple high-profile injuries or deaths over this summer alone in Santa Ana, Huntington Beach and Garden Grove and I do not want to see this spread to my community. This petition as a whole is not about punishing or cracking down on kids, it is about giving young riders rules, knowledge and safer places to ride. Kids deserve to enjoy themselves without getting into collisions with cars. In talking with and meeting neighbors in my community I have discovered that the community cares and is demanding e-bike safety reform, and not just from organizers like me. The community, parents, riders and local leaders all have a role in fighting to keep kids safe on the road, because the community should never compromise on keeping kids safe. They expect our lawmakers in the state assembly or on the Board of Supervisors to lead on this issue. My petition has gained the support it has as a result of a lack of official action by our leaders. Kids have a right to enjoy themselves, and this proposal lets them have the right to enjoy themselves with safety and structure.
If Orange County takes action now, it can set an example for how communities should handle e-bike safety before the problem gets worse. These reforms could help prevent more costly emergency room visits, more parents in our community worrying their kids on an e-bike, and more arguments between drivers and young riders. It would show safety and independence can exist at the same time. We aren’t cracking down on kids, we’re simply giving kids the safety and trust they need to enjoy riding without the fear or unnecessary danger.
Alex Guess is a 12-year-old student living in Laguna Niguel, California. He is currently leading a regional grassroots lobbying campaign to pass comprehensive youth e-bike safety legislation.
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