Riverside officials are proposing a broad set of e-bike safety rules aimed at protecting riders, pedestrians and motorists as injuries and complaints involving electric bicycles draw growing concern.
The ordinance, which will go before the City Council on Sept. 15, would prohibit unsafe riding, require helmets for minors and restrict where e-bikes and other electric devices may be used — including banning e-bikes from most sidewalks, city parks and city trails such as the Santa Ana River Trail. If adopted, it would take effect 30 days later.
The rules would apply to e-bikes, electric scooters, motorized boards and similar devices, collectively defined as "e-conveyances."
The Aug. 25 crash near Rosemary Kennedy Elementary School that critically injured two 14-year-old boys raised safety concerns among Riverside residents — but Councilmember Sean Mill said he and Councilmember Chuck Conder already had the issue on their radar and were developing the ordinance for months before the crash.
Mill said the city has received more than 200 documented complaints of unsafe e-conveyance use since Jan. 1, many involving juveniles and activity around city parks.
"That accident ... highlights why we need stricter enforcement procedures here in the City of Riverside," Mill told the Gazette in an email.
He said the proposal is intended to encourage responsible e-bike use, not discourage the devices altogether.
"The dramatic increase in e-bike injuries, particularly among young people, should concern all of us," he said. "My goal isn't to discourage e-bikes, it's to make sure they're being used responsibly and that we protect riders, pedestrians and motorists alike."
The proposed new rule comes amid a sharp increase in e-bike injuries across Riverside County.
Emergency room visits related to e-bike crashes rose from 224 in 2023 to 494 in 2024 and 958 in 2025, according to a July report from Riverside County. At least 416 incidents had been reported in the county in 2026 as of July 9.
The increase has been especially pronounced among young riders. Emergency visits involving children ages 10 to 14 more than doubled from 155 in 2024 to 339 in 2025. Visits among people ages 15 to 24 increased from 122 to 248 during the same period.
Under Riverside's proposal, riders could be cited for traveling against traffic, failing to yield, carrying passengers on devices not designed for them, disregarding signs, racing or performing stunts or traveling faster than conditions safely allow.
Riders also would be prohibited from using handheld phones unless the devices are configured for hands-free operation.
E-bikes would not be allowed on sidewalks except when crossing a driveway, traveling through an area designated by the City Council as a bikeway or avoiding a dangerous road condition or obstacle.
The ordinance would prohibit all e-conveyances in city parks. Riders also would have to dismount and walk their devices through city-owned parking lots, and e-bikes would be prohibited on city trails and city-controlled portions of trails, including the Santa Ana River Trail.
Off-highway electric motorcycles would be barred from all public areas. The ordinance says those vehicles could be used only in areas designed for off-highway recreation or on private property with the owner's permission.
Minors operating or riding as passengers on e-conveyances would be required to wear properly fitted and fastened helmets. Helmets also would be required for all operators and passengers on Class 3 e-bikes, regardless of age.
Parents or guardians could be held responsible for violations committed by minors, including associated penalties or fines. If a minor damages public property, the city could pursue a civil complaint against the parent or guardian.
The Police Department could develop a program prioritizing education, parental notification and safety-course completion over monetary penalties for juveniles. That alternative would not apply to violations involving injury, damages, reckless operation or a substantial public safety risk.
John and GiGi Arnold, who organize the Riverside Light Parade and operate an e-bike sales business, said they support stronger enforcement against dangerous riding but believe some provisions go too far.
John Arnold agreed with restrictions on sidewalk riding, saying sidewalks are intended for pedestrians and can be dangerous for cyclists when motorists pull out of driveways without seeing them.
But the couple objected to the proposed ban on e-bikes along the Santa Ana River Trail, arguing that residents use the trail for daily transportation and that separating riders from cars makes it one of the safer places to ride.
"One of our neighbors uses it every day," John Arnold said. "That's the only place they should be able to use it. There's no cars around."
John Arnold said residents who depend on e-bikes to reach work could be pushed onto busy streets, some of which lack adequate space for cyclists.
"We can't blame a person if they're trying to get to work," he said. "At the same time, though, our city has to do more to make our city more bike-friendly."
The Arnolds said e-bikes have also made cycling accessible to people who may not be able to ride traditional bicycles and can give young people another way to get to school. They said that access should be paired with education about traffic laws and safe riding.
"E-bikes are here to stay," GiGi Arnold said.
"We have to adapt with it," John Arnold said, adding that the Light Parade incorporated e-bikes while adopting rules intended to keep riders safe.
The Riverside Light Parade's monthly rides have drawn more than 600 cyclists. Organizers use traffic marshals and police escorts to help riders move safely through city streets.
"We started a slogan on our ride: 'Wheels down when we roll around,'" John Arnold said.
He said the rule discourages young riders from performing wheelies or bringing off-highway electric motorcycles on the group's rides. Riders who refuse to follow the rules are asked to leave.
"The number one goal is keep everyone safe," he said.
