What Orange County Parents Need to Know
Help your child avoid a ticket – and dangerous electric bike accidents – by encouraging them to follow Orange County electric bike rules of the road. Not sure what rules and procedures apply to electric bikes and electric scooters in Orange County? Read on – and consider scheduling an in-person electric bike or electric scooter training class with E-Bike Sense in Orange County. E-Bike Sense offers private, semi-private and group e-bike classes in person in Orange County communities like Newport Beach, Irvine, Costa Mesa, San Clemente, Mission Viejo, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, Rancho San Margarita, Lake Forest and more.
Orange County Kids can’t put their Friends on the Back of their Electric Bikes
Without professional modifications, most electric bikes and electric scooters sold and used in Orange County are not equipped to carry additional passengers. Legally, Orange County e-bike users are not permitted to have a passenger unless the electric bike has a designated spot for safe passenger transportation. In that case, the passenger and electric bike rider both must be wearing helmets if under 18 years old when in Orange County.
There is No Minimum Age for Type 1 and Type 2 E-Bikes in Orange County
For electric bikes with a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour and have pedal assist only (Class 1) or pedal and throttle assist (Class 2), there is no minimum age requirement for the rider in Orange County. While this means your child can avoid a ticket when operating their e-bike or e-scooter due to their age, it also means that younger kids who’ve never taken a driver’s education class are using these fast electric bikes on the road – and, without training, that can be dangerous.
E-Bikes are Easy to Steal in Orange County
Thieves in Orange County love e-bikes because kids, tweens and teens often fail to appropriately lock them when not in use – and they’re an easy sale on sites like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. Make sure your child knows to take any valuables with them when leaving behind their e-bike in Orange County. Many parents insist that their child remove and take their bike battery with them prior to leaving their electric bike locked to a pole or other immovable object that cannot be cut.
Many Orange County Trails are Off Limits to Electric Bikes
Orange County’s e-bike regulations for trails clearly note that e-bikes are prohibited on unpaved trails within regional and wilderness parks. While it might be tempting to enjoy the dips and dirt trails, e-bike riders are not permitted to use their electric bikes in these public spaces.
There are many “rules of the road” that apply to electric bikes and electric scooters for Orange County residents. If you’re a parent who is overwhelmed by the task of teaching your child how to safely and legally ride their electric scooter or electric bike in Orange County, consider the two-hour in-person electric bike trainings offered by E-Bike Sense. Available in Orange County communities like Newport Beach, Irvine, Costa Mesa, San Clemente, Mission Viejo, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, Rancho San Margarita, Lake Forest and more, E-Bike Sense will go to you, offering private, semi private and group electric bike lessons and trainings to keep your child safer on their bike – and prepared to obey the rules of the road.
