Orange County Grand Jury
• 2023-2024
• Agency Response
Response to:
E-Bikes Friend or Foe
City of Dana Point Office of the City Manager August 29, 2024 Maria Hernandez, Presiding Judge of the Superior Court*
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 3 findings
F1
The majority of Orange County's 34 cities do not have ordinances or policies in place, which makes it difficult to address the safe operation and regulation of E-bikes leading to confusion. Response: The City of Dana Point PARTIALLY AGREES with the finding. While the City of Dana Point has not done a county-wide survey, the City is aware that ordinances and policies can vary by city and create confusion when e-bike riders' cross jurisdictional lines.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
Each Orange County city should have specific policies that define the rules of the road for use of E- bikes in their communities by December 1, 2024. Response: This recommendation has been IMPLEMENTED. The City of Dana Point has already adopted an ordinance which defines and regulates the use of an E- bike and other electric mobility devices within the City boundaries, in accordance with the California Vehicle Code and applicable state regulations. The following are relevant sections of the Dana Point Municipal Code: §13.04.130 Bicycles, Motorized and Electric Bikes and Scooters, Skateboards, Rollerblades and Similar Items. The City of Dana Point has supported the establishment of e-bike laws across the State and legislation to amend the State Vehicle Code that aims to prohibit a person under the age of 12 from operating an e-bike of any class, would create an e-bike license program with an online written test and a State- issued photo identification for those without a driver's license; and other programs that encourage responsible use of e-bikes through appropriate restrictions and education.
F2
Due to the increasing incidence of E-bike injuries and deaths, there is a need for consistent and accurate tracking by law enforcement and first responders, which does not exist now. Response: The City of Dana Point DISAGREES with the finding. Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) and Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) have accurate tracking mechanisms in place for e- bike injuries and deaths.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
Each Orange County city should have a mechanism in place to report accidents, injuries and deaths involving E-bikes by December 1, 2024. Response: This recommendation has been IMPLEMENTED. The City's contracted public safety personnel, OCSD and OCFA respond to, track and handle reports related to accidents, injury, and deaths involving e-bikes.
F3
Training and education on E-bike use and safety varies from city to city causing confusion amongst bike riders. 33282 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, CA 92629 • (949) 248-3500 • FAX (949) 248-9920 Internet: www.danapoint.org Response: The City of Dana Point AGREES with the finding. While the City of Dana Point has not done a county-wide survey, the City is aware that policies, educational events, and activities surrounding e- bikes may vary by city.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
Each Orange County city should research and develop outreach and education programs regarding the safe operation of e-bikes for their residents by December 1, 2024. Response: This recommendation has been IMPLEMENTED. The City and OCSD have held Bike and E-Bike Safety education events in the previous year. The City plans to hold more events in conjunction with OCSD to continue promoting safe and responsible E-Bike usage. OCSD partnered with Capistrano Unified School District, where students that commute with E- Bikes to school must acknowledge safe practices before receiving a permit to park/ride bikes to campus. OCSD also utilizes their E-Bike campaign from 2023 to promote safety on the road. The City's website has a section dedicated to E-Bike Safety. Respectfully Submitted, Michael A. Killebrew City Manager
* This report's PDF did not contain easily extractable text and required Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for analysis. There may be minor errors in the extracted findings and recommendations due to OCR limitations with scanned documents.