Orange County, California – Electric bikes have become part of everyday life across California, gliding through neighborhoods, school routes and beach communities with a speed and ease that traditional bicycles cannot match.
Yet in Orange County, officials say the growing popularity of electric rides has also exposed a dangerous divide: some vehicles marketed or treated like bicycles are, under state law, powerful motorcycles that children cannot legally operate.
That divide is now at the center of a new enforcement effort. On May 13, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced the creation of RIDE SAFELY, a specialized e-bike and e-motorcycle prosecution unit designed to review possible criminal cases involving juveniles, adults and parents who knowingly allow children to ride illegal e-motorcycles.
The move follows a sharp rise in harm linked to the vehicles. According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, injuries involving e-bikes and e-motorcycles have increased 430% in Southern California over the last four years. Children ages 11 to 14 accounted for 61.7% of e-motorcycle crashes, despite riders under 16 being legally barred from operating e-motorcycles.
Since January, prosecutors in Orange County have charged three parents with child endangerment for allegedly allowing their children to ride illegal e-motorcycles.
The most serious case involves an Aliso Viejo mother whose 14-year-old son allegedly struck 81-year-old Ed Ashman while riding an e-motorcycle in Lake Forest. Ashman, a Vietnam veteran, later died from his injuries. Prosecutors say the mother had previously been warned that her son was riding the vehicle illegally and that she could face criminal consequences. She has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and faces up to seven years and eight months in state prison if convicted on all counts.
In another case, a Yorba Linda father was charged after his 12-year-old son was critically injured while riding an e-motorcycle that prosecutors say had been modified to reach speeds of up to 60 mph. The boy allegedly ran a red light before being struck by a vehicle. The father faces up to six years in prison if convicted on all charges.
“The death and devastation caused by e-Bikes and E-Motorcycles has reached epidemic levels, and we as elected officials must do everything we can to save lives,” Spitzer said in announcing the unit.
“If parents refuse to hold their children accountable, then I am going to hold parents accountable when they knowingly break the law.”
The crackdown was announced as law enforcement officials, safety advocates and families gathered in Huntington Beach for a symposium focused on electric-device safety. Sgt. Mike Thomas of the Huntington Beach Police Department pointed directly to the adults purchasing high-powered rides for young children.
“Parents are really buying these devices for the kids that can’t afford to buy them in the first place,” Thomas said. “The accountability lies with the parents.”
Read also: California sheriffs’ association recognizes rising students while preserving a leader’s memory
California law separates legal e-bikes from e-motorcycles through motor power, speed and whether the vehicle has working pedals. Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes are limited to 20 mph, while pedal-assisted Class 3 e-bikes may reach 28 mph and require riders to be at least 16. Vehicles that exceed legal limits, operate at higher speeds without pedaling or have been modified beyond those limits may instead be treated as mopeds or e-motorcycles, bringing licensing and other legal requirements.
Pressure is also reaching retailers. Amazon recently said it would stop selling certain high-speed electric bikes in California that exceed state limits, following a consumer alert from California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Bay Area district attorneys.
Orange County officials say RIDE SAFELY is not meant to end electric mobility. Instead, it marks a harder line against vehicles placed in the hands of children who are not legally or safely equipped to ride them. As e-bikes remain popular, prosecutors and police say education, enforcement and parental responsibility must now travel alongside the convenience of an electric ride.