By Gina Yarbrough
Carlsbad, CA–The Carlsbad Police Department has continued its focus on educating riders and enforcing the city’s new e-bike regulations, issuing warnings and citations and impounding e-bikes and e-motorcycles when appropriate.
The new laws took effect May 26. From May 26 through July 6, police reported:
- 93 education-focused traffic stops
- 53 written warnings
- 20 citations
- 40 e-bikes and e-motorcycles impounded
- 12 community reports submitted through the department’s online reporting portal between June 17 and July 6
Under laws adopted by the Carlsbad City Council earlier this year, e-bike riders must be at least 12 years old.
According to the Carlsbad Police Department, when a minor violates the law and creates an immediate or substantial public safety risk, police may impound the rider’s e-bike. To retrieve the bike, the rider must complete an online safety course and pass an associated in-person test. A parent or guardian must also be present when the e-bike is released.
Officers may also impound e-motorcycles regardless of the rider’s age. Although some e-motorcycles are marketed as e-bikes, authorities said they are not street legal and are governed by different laws.
Currently, e-bikes are also prohibited at Poinsettia and Pine Avenue Community Parks.
In June, the Carlsbad Police Department launched an online reporting portal that allows residents to report unsafe riding directly to the traffic unit. Officials said reports submitted through the portal have helped officers identify locations where reckless riding is occurring and provided leads on repeat offenders.
The Carlsbad Police Department stated the combination of education, enforcement and community reporting is intended to improve safety as e-bike use continues to increase throughout Carlsbad.
