Marin campaign promotes new e-bikes safety laws

A message is being amplified to young electric bicycle riders and their parents in Marin County this summer: Make sure your e-bike is “street legal.”

The county, the Transportation Authority of Marin and bicycle safety programs have launched the “E-Bikers Club” campaign. Organizers seek to inform the public about e-bike safety and new ordinances that will place age limits on class 2 e-bikes.

“Laws alone won’t change behavior, which is why we are leading with countywide education in a creative campaign that uses animation and social media,” Supervisor Mary Sackett said during the campaign kickoff on Thursday.

Under the ordinance adopted by county supervisors, children under 16 are prohibited from riding class 2 e-bikes, throttle-assisted models that can travel up to 20 mph. All class 2 e-bike riders also will be required to wear helmets. The ordinance goes into effect on July 1.

Under state law, youths are still allowed to ride class 1 e-bikes that are pedal-assisted. Riders under 16 are prohibited from riding class 3 e-bikes, which can travel faster at 28 MPH.

The county’s new safety policies are based on Assembly Bill 1778, which was authored by Assemblymember Damon Connolly to address e-bike related injuries among youths in Marin County.

The county had a 110% increase in 911 calls for youths from 2019 to 2022, according to public health officials. The number of e-bike crashes for 10- to 15-year-olds is five times higher than for adults, the county reported.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 1778 in September. Connolly said he was “heartened” to see Marin cities and towns approve regulations based on his bill.

“By educating Marin residents about rider safety through a bold public education campaign, we can push forward on the effort to keep our streets safe, and promote healthy and responsible ridership,” said Connolly, who lives in the county.

Seven municipalities in Marin have approved the first readings of ordinances that match the county regulations.

As part of AB 1778, participating municipalities in Marin will join a pilot program to evaluate how restrictions on class 2 e-bikes affect the number of e-bike-related injuries in Marin. The program will last through 2029, and its participants are expected to report to the Legislature for consideration of statewide age restrictions on class 2 e-bikes.

“Between now and 2029, we don’t expect a world in which this lapses and we go backward and have younger riders on class 2 e-bikes,” said Talia Smith, Marin County’s director of legislative and intergovernmental affairs. “It’s likely that the Legislature will revisit this as a regulation statewide, in which case Marin will be the leader.”

Dr. John Maa, a MarinHealth surgeon and an advocate of e-bike regulations for youths, said he looks forward to seeking data collected from the Marin pilot program over the next 18 months.

“Marin County has led the way nationally to raise awareness about the hazards of e-bikes,” he said.

The E-Bikers Club’s campaign was designed to fulfill AB 1778’s requirements for a public education campaign. Marin County officials budgeted $50,000 for the e-bike safety campaign, said Laine Hendricks, a county spokesperson.

Campaign materials include posters for schools, promotional clothing, a website that offers information on the new laws and a club pledge in which youths promise they will follow e-bike laws. Organizers worked with the firm Chrome Panther Creative on designing their information campaign.

There is also an animated video that features animals riding e-bikes in Marin. Viewers of the short video can learn safety and maintenance tips. They are also advised to avoid purchasing e-bikes online, as most bicycle shops won’t repair such vehicles because of poorly designed parts.

“We’re hearing anecdotally that bike shops will not repair electric bikes they don’t sell,” Sackett said.

She said the campaign’s organizers heard from teenage focus groups on how to promote the message on e-bike rules and safety.

“We learned quickly that a government website or a government news release was not going to land with young people,” Sackett said. “They gave us feedback on graphics, wording and things that would catch the attention of youth to let them know what the rules are about.”

Marin County Safe Routes to School, a program that teaches bicycle safety at schools, also is involved.

“It’s not about saying no to e-bikes,” said Gwen Froh, program director. “It’s about saying yes to the right e-bike for a child’s age and ability.”

She added that the campaign will augment their ongoing work in guiding parents and youths to choose the right e-bikes.

“Marin has always been at the forefront of encouraging biking as a great, healthy way to get around,” said Anne Richman, executive director of the Transportation Authority of Marin. “The message of safety and responsibility is important for everyone in our community and for our young riders, it is paramount. This campaign reinforces those values in a fun and creative way.”