Deputies partner with school district to present E-Bike Safety events

Poway Sheriff’s deputies and the Poway Unified School District are partnering to offer E-Bike Safety events to explain safe and legal ways to operate motorized bikes.

The first safety event was held Saturday, Sept. 20 at Midland Elementary School in Poway.

One of the main reasons for organizing the E-Bike Safety Events is that as the bikes have become more popular, the number of accidents have increased in the county, said Poway Sheriff’s Lt. Colin Hebeler.

“We’re seeing a lot of unsafe riding and there’s potential for a major accident, injury or possibly death and we want to prevent that,” Hebeler said. “We’ve been very fortunate in the city of Poway where we have not had a lot of accidents or injuries. In other parts of the county, we have had fatalities.”

In addition to offering safety tips, the presenters checked e-bikes to let their owners know if they are street legal for their age, he said.

Guidance was given to about 100 attendees on the allowed age ranges for different classes of e-bikes.

The Class 3 e-bicycles that travel up to 28 miles per hour can be driven by youths 16 and older. Those who are 15 or younger cannot ride Class 3 e-bikes, Hebeler said.

But those under 16 can drive Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes that travel up to 20 mph, he said.

Helmets are required for all e-bike drivers under 18. Everybody, regardless of age, must wear a helmet for Class 3 e-bikes.

Children should be aware of the laws and rules surrounding the safe operation of e-bicycles, the lieutenant said.

Deputies have received complaints about youths riding e-motorcycles, an electric version of a dirt bike.

“They’ve been recklessly driving up and down the street doing wheelies,” he said. “They’re having fun, but they don’t realize the impact and the danger that they’re putting themselves in and the rest of the public.”

E-motorcycles are not street legal, but deputies have seen an increase in the number of them on the streets, he said.

“It’s a matter of time when one will be hit by a car and injured or worse,” he said of the e-motorcycle riders.

The Kiwanis Club of Poway got involved in the safety event last month, giving away helmets to children who didn’t have them at the event.

The Sheriff’s Office is planning to host similar events in the future with the school district at locations to be determined. One possibility is the Saturday morning farmer’s market on Midland Road to reach a wide audience, Hebeler said.

Hebeler said Poway Unified hosts a different online training program that allows children to park their e-bikes on school campuses. The E-Bike Safety events are not required by the school district, but they offer another opportunity to encourage safe operations, he said.

“This has been a big concern of constituents around the county and among Poway residents,” he said. “The more education we can get out the better. Hopefully, it will be safer and the kids can avoid future injuries.”