City of Santa Rosa, CA, CivicReady Public Safety Alerts & Notifications

Santa Rosa Police E-Bike Safety Operation Results in 3 Impounded E-Motos, More Than 50 Enforcement and Education Contacts in Beat 4

Santa Rosa Police E-Bike Safety Operation Results in 3 Impounded E-Motos, More Than 50 Enforcement and Education Contacts in Beat 4

On Tuesday, September 15, 2026, the Santa Rosa Police Department conducted a directed e-bike safety education and enforcement operation in Beat 4, including the areas surrounding Maria Carrillo High School and Rincon Valley Middle School. Officers made more than 50 enforcement and educational contacts over the course of the operation.

Why we did this
The operation was prompted by an increasing number of community complaints regarding juveniles operating electric bicycles in an unsafe and unlawful manner. Reported behaviors included excessive speed, reckless riding in traffic, failure to obey traffic control devices, riding on sidewalks in a hazardous manner, stunt riding, and operating e-bikes that exceed legal classifications. These behaviors have created significant safety concerns for motorists, pedestrians, and the riders themselves.

The Department's goals were to reduce hazardous e-bike behavior, increase compliance with the California Vehicle Code, educate juveniles and their parents, reduce related calls for service and complaints, and strengthen community partnerships to promote voluntary compliance and injury prevention. Officers emphasized education and voluntary compliance, taking enforcement action where warranted.

The conditions officers encountered over a single afternoon illustrate why the Department took this on. Across the operation, officers contacted riders who were well below the minimum legal age to operate the devices they were on; devices traveling at speeds far exceeding the 20 mph limit for a legal e-bike; riders wearing earbuds in both ears, unable to hear approaching traffic; stunt riding in the roadway; and e-motos operated with no license, registration, or insurance. Because these devices met the legal definition of a motor vehicle rather than a bicycle, none of them could lawfully be operated on a sidewalk by any rider, at any age.

Operation results
E-moto enforcement
  • 3 e-motos towed and impounded
  • 4 significant e-moto enforcement cases, including one rider cited in connection with an ongoing evading-arrest investigation from the previous week
  • Every juvenile rider contacted was released to a parent or guardian, and warning citations were issued to parents where appropriate
E-bike and bicycle contacts
  • 16 total e-bike and bicycle contacts, including 15 stops separate from the cases above
  • Juvenile riders were educated on the rules of the road and e-bike safety
  • Verbal and written warnings were issued as appropriate, and safety education materials were provided to riders
Traffic enforcement
  • 28 vehicle and motorcycle stops conducted during the operation
  • 20 traffic citations issued, for violations including speeding, including school-zone speed violations, a stop-sign violation in a school zone, and unlicensed driving.
  • 1 motorcycle towed for an unlicensed driver
  • 2 parking citations issued

What riders and parents need to know

E-bikes come in three classes. Class 1 (pedal-assist, 20 mph) and Class 2 (throttle, 20 mph) have no state minimum age. Class 3 (pedal-assist, 28 mph) may only be ridden by those 16 and older, and requires a helmet at every age.

Helmets are required by law for every rider under 18. Head injuries are the leading cause of death and serious disability in e-bike collisions.

If it exceeds its class, it may not be an e-bike at all. A device with a throttle capable of going faster than 20 mph, or one without working pedals, is a motor vehicle under California law requiring a license, registration, and insurance. It cannot be ridden on sidewalks, bike paths, or bike lanes, and a rider too young to be licensed cannot legally operate one on the street. This is why three devices were impounded during this operation. It is also unlawful to modify an e-bike to exceed the speed capability of its class.

The rules of the road apply to e-bikes. Stop at stop signs and red lights. Ride with traffic, not against it. Yield to pedestrians. Use a front white light and rear red reflector after dark. No passengers unless the bike is built for them. No stunt riding and no headphones or earbuds in both ears; a rider who cannot hear traffic cannot react to it.

Parents: check the manufacturer's label to confirm what class your student is riding, confirm the bike has not been modified, confirm your student is old enough for it, and require a helmet on every ride. A parent or guardian may be held financially responsible for damages and fines resulting from a minor's unlawful or negligent operation of an e-bike and during this operation, warning citations were issued to parents.
The Department intends to conduct additional e-bike education and enforcement operations throughout other areas of the city. 
Residents may report ongoing unsafe e-bike activity by calling 707-528-5222. Emergencies and in-progress hazards should always be reported by calling 911.



Media Contact:
Lt. Matt North
(707) 543-3646

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