Los Angeles council pushes for tighter e-bike rules and rider education

The L.A. City Council's Rules Committee approved a proposal directing the Department of Transportation to draft new e-bike regulations, which will now be considered by the full council.

A motion from Councilmembers Heather Hutt and John Lee was passed by the Los Angeles City Council's Rules Committee, urging the Department of Transportation to create a set of e-bike regulations. The draft measures would prohibit the sale of e-bikes, e-motos and electric mopeds that fail to meet legal specifications out of the box and ban modifications that increase speed. It also seeks to require safety courses for riders younger than 18 or those lacking a driver’s license, and to establish rules for proper storage and charging to prevent battery fires.

The city classifies e-bikes into three speed categories, with the fastest (Class 3) already limited to riders 16 and older and barred from bike paths. Rising injury rates, especially among minors, have prompted the council’s action, following incidents such as a teen-caused injury to an elderly woman and a fatal crash involving a 13-year-old in Garden Grove. The full council will vote on the motion, after which the Department of Transportation must submit recommendations within a month.