E-Bikes - A Parenting and Community Dilemma
E-Bikes are all the craze right now. In addition to working at Pacific, I also work at the Middle School and in private practice in Manhattan Beach, and everyone is talking about these bikes. I still remember seeing the “e-bike lot” at MBMS for the first time.
This one invention that has taken the South Bay by storm. This community issue has created conflict at various levels - kids vs kids, kids vs parents, parents vs parents (same households and different households), students vs administrators, teens vs law enforcement, the list can go on. And in my role as a therapist, I hear about it ALL.
This bike represents freedom, status, accessibility, like never before. These tools can decrease car pollution, increase access to friends, get us outside and moving, and frankly, they are just fun.
It also poses a risk like never before. Nothing spikes my anxiety like seeing a teen wearing a black hoody, helmet unbuckled, popping a wheelie down MB Blvd on a Friday night. As parents and caregivers, it poses questions about your child’s readiness for this independence and the social pressure to help your kid stay connected with their friends.
Academic literature on ebike safety and guidelines for children is sparse to none. This might be due to how new ebikes are. It seems research and policy are trying to catch up. What I did find was that the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) advises children under 12 years old should not operate an ebike that can travel faster than 10 mph (Maa, et al., 2024). Additionally, MBUSD has produced an e-bike safety program to begin addressing these concerns. In addition to this, here are a few more questions to consider:
Can my child ride a regular bike confidently?
Can my child lift, move, or balance an ebike?
Can my child maneuver smoothly and make split second decisions?
Does my child make safe decisions?
Does my child display knowledge and understanding of the road rules?
Does my child display predictive reasoning, traffic awareness, and situational awareness while on the road?
Who will my child be riding with?
Does my child make smart decisions when they are with their friends?
Is my child impulsive? Anxious? Steady?
Considerations:
Not all ebikes are the same. Do your research onto the specific bikes and prioritize bikes with higher safety ratings (consider Class 1 bikes).
Beware - some bikes are easily modified to reach higher speeds
Ensure proper safety gear (helmets, reflectors, flashlights, wrist or knee pads).
Ride with your kids. Discuss traffic awareness and rules to increase predictive reasoning. Just like you would with a driver’s permit.
Ebikes can be a privilege to be earned or revoked with grades, home responsibilities, engagement with family or activities, etc.
This is not all or nothing. What are the situations your child may ride in?
An adult must be present? To and from school? During daylight hours? No kids on the back? Not on main roads? With certain safety gear? Geographic restrictions?
Discuss consequences of breaking rules.
Getting on the same page with other parents/caregivers in the child’s life to ensure consistency of regulations/uses.
Take the MBUSD safety course with them and reinforce safety rules.
Advocate and lobby for funding to go towards designated bike lanes separate from traffic and other community safety measures.
Check out California’s Electric Bicycle Regulations and Manhattan Beach Regulations for more information. If you have any questions, please feel encouraged to reach out christina@christinakingfamilytherapy.com.
Yours In Service,
Christina King, LMFT 145704
Citations and Resources:
Maa, J., Doucet, J., Ignacio, R., Alfrey, A. (2024). Electric Bikes are Emerging as Public Health Hazard. American College of Surgeons. https://www.facs.org/for-medical-professionals/news-publications/news-and-articles/bulletin/2024/julyaugust-2024-volume-109-issue-7/electric-bikes-are-emerging-as-public-health-hazard/#:~:text=The%20US%20Consumer%20Product%20Safety,bike%20safety%20in%20the%20US.
(2024). Is Your Teen Ready for an Ebike? Ten Key Skills to Assess. American Bicycling Education Association. https://teenebiketraining.com/is-your-teen-ready-for-ebike/