e-motorcycles

Dozens of California parents may face criminal charges over children's illegal e-bike rides. Rising e-bike and e-motorcycle popularity among juveniles, coupled with high-profile crashes, has led to increased scrutiny in Southern California.

A new Colorado law effective August 12 requires parental consent for minors to obtain motorcycle endorsements for e-motorcycles, aiming to reduce crashes among youth. The law mandates helmets, licenses, and insurance for riders under 18 on e-motorcycles exceeding 28 mph, with penalties for violations.

A new Colorado law (HB26-1079) effective August 12 requires parental consent for minors to obtain motorcycle endorsements, targeting e-motorcycles that have caused rising crash rates among youth. The law mandates helmets, licenses, and insurance for riders under 18 on high-speed e-motos, with penalties for violations affecting both teens and parents.

The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) warns that some retailers are selling e-motorcycles as e-bikes, which are more powerful and may pose safety risks. An example cited includes an eight-year-old riding a 2,000-watt electric motorcycle on a sidewalk.

A Pakistani parliamentary committee highlighted challenges in e-bike adoption, including the absence of a dedicated regulatory authority, fragmented oversight across multiple ministries, and a lack of lithium battery policy. Issues such as substandard batteries, reliance on imported lithium-ion cells, and a growing grey market for unsafe batteries were emphasized as major obstacles.

King County has launched a campaign to reduce the speed of e-bikes on trails following a new state law. The county plans to enforce the law by pulling over riders exceeding speed limits.

Safety concerns over e-bikes and e-motorcycles are rising in Denver metro areas as summer begins, with teenagers engaging in reckless behavior like wheelies and wrong-way riding. Local authorities, including Aurora Police Department, report increased incidents and are shifting focus to education over fines, while cities like Douglas County and Thornton explore new ordinances to address the issue.

Three parents were warned and three children cited in Lafayette for reckless riding on non-street-legal e-motorcycles. Police attempted to stop and educate juveniles, but two groups refused to comply.