San Marcos first city along 78 corridor to ban e-bike riders under 12
Published on October 28, 2025
“Ride Right” campaign includes pilot program based on new state legislation
On Tuesday, the San Marcos City Council voted to ban e-bike riders under 12, as part of a comprehensive traffic safety campaign that also includes:
- Partnering with the San Marcos Unified School District, San Marcos Sheriff and parent groups to host on campus events to raise awareness of the rules of the road
- Increasing the Sheriff’s enforcement efforts
- Increasing the availability of e-bike safety training throughout San Marcos
- Installing signs prohibiting e-bikes on sidewalks in business districts
On Jan. 1, 2025, a new California law, AB 2234 (Boerner), went into effect that allows cities in San Diego County to prohibit the operation of e-bikes by those under 12 years of age. To date, three cities have passed the law, Poway, Coronado and Chula Vista. The law will be in effect until 2029, after which the state will evaluate whether to roll out the new law statewide.
The law allows cities to enforce a minimum age of 12, but not higher. Class 3 e-bikes, which reach speeds of up to 28 mph, already have a minimum age of 16.
Like many cities, San Marcos has seen an increase in e-bikes on local streets, many ridden by teens and tweens who have not yet learned to drive. Bikes and e-bikes are considered vehicles under California law and must follow the same rules of the road as cars.
Although the number of e-bike collisions in San Marcos is lower than in other cities, San Marcos has seen an increase in complaints and concerns about safety. Since January 2024, e-bikes made up nearly four times the number of injury collisions in San Marcos as pedal bikes, and two-thirds of e-bike collisions involved riders under 18.
The new San Marcos law will go into effect immediately, although the initial focus will be on issuing warnings, rather than citations.