Marin County Grand Jury
• 2024-2025
With Power Comes Responsibility Youths Under Age 16 Operating Class 2 E-Bikes: a Safety Risk
⚠️ 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 6 findings
F1
The increasing number of e-bike accidents involving youths under the age of 16 presents a public health and safety danger in Marin.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
By December 31, 2024, the Board of Supervisors, and each municipality in Marin should take all steps necessary to adopt an ordinance with regard to class 2 e-bikes with, at minimum, the following provisions: (a) Only people aged 16 or older may operate class 2 e-bikes. (b) Operators of class 2 e-bikes must wear helmets. (c) All passengers on class 2 e-bikes must wear helmets.
F2
The operation of class 2 e-bikes by operators under the age of 16 poses a significant risk to the safety of e-bike operators, other bike riders, passengers, and pedestrians on sidewalks, streets, multi-use paths, and trails in Marin.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
By December 31, 2024, the County of Marin and each municipality in Marin should take all steps necessary to establish a joint task force or committee to investigate and consider coordination among the county and municipalities about adopting a county-wide uniform set of regulations regarding e-bike use within the County of Marin.
F3
The emerging and increasing safety issues related to class 2 e-bike use by operators under the age of 16 has not been addressed by Marin County or the municipalities in a uniform manner.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
Any task force or committee as described in Recommendation 2, above, should consider inviting representatives from Marin County schools, law enforcement, public health officials, and bicycle advocates to provide their input.
F4
For all practical purposes, the state of California has abdicated its responsibility to regulate the use of class 2 e-bikes, leaving it up to the County of Marin and the Marin municipalities to create their own regulations.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
By December 31, 2024, the Board of Supervisors should explore options for additional funding for student and public education in Marin County about e-bike safety.
F5
The funding to continue the e-bike specific safety and training program (E-bike Smart Marin) provided by the Marin County Bicycle Coalition is not sustainable without new sources of funding.
No recommendations for this finding
F6
Marin County public schools are not currently able to implement additional bicycle safety training programs for students, beyond what has been offered by Safe Routes to Schools for many years.
No recommendations for this finding
Agency Responses 1
Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.
No Responses Found 11
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
Larkspur
City
Marin County Board of Supervisors
Elected County Office
Mill Valley
City
Novato
City
San Rafael
City
Sausalito
City
Town of Corte Madera
Town
Town of Fairfax
Town
Town of Ross
Town
Town of San Anselmo
Town
Town of Tiburon
Town