The City of Carlsbad’s local laws that make it easier to enforce the safe and considerate use of bicycles, e-bikes, motorized scooters and other similar ways of getting around town is now in effect as of May 5th. This means that Police can now issue citations or offer certain violators a safety course option instead of a citation.
What are the new laws?
Specifically, the ordinance says riders:
· Have a duty to always ride with care and to reduce speed when needed for safety
· Can’t have passengers on handlebars, floorboard or other areas of a bicycle, e-bike or similar motorized device that aren’t specifically made for additional riders
· Can’t attach a bicycle, e-bike or similar motorized device to any moving vehicle or motorized or non-motorized wheeled device
· Can’t operate or ride a bicycle, e-bike or similar motorized device on sidewalks, public drainage facilities, culverts, ditches, channels, or any public athletic or sports court or gymnasium in the city
· Must get off their bicycle, e-bike or similar motorized device on trails less than 5 feet wide when they’re within 50 feet of a pedestrian or horseback rider.
Who is affected?
· The updated ordinance covers riders for a variety of motorized and non-motorized mobility devices including bicycles, e-bikes, electrically motorized boards, low-speed vehicles, motorized scooters, Segways, shared mobility devices such as electric scooters and other similar vehicles.
· It doesn’t apply to the type of mobility devices that people with disabilities use to get around.
Why the change?
· As the use of e-bikes has increased in Carlsbad over the past few years, so have the number of accidents.
· There were 186 traffic collisions involving bicycles or e-bikes between January 2019 and December 2021. In 163 of those accidents, one or more people were injured.
· The City Council, Carlsbad Police, city staff and community members have all observed people riding e-bikes unsafely or violating traffic laws and have raised concerns about the impact on public safety.
· The updated ordinance prohibits a broad range of careless and reckless behavior on bicycles, e-bikes and similar motorized devices, while the State Vehicle Code violations for these types of vehicles are more limited in scope.
· It also allows the city to be in charge of enforcement rather than referring all cases for prosecution in court, which is required for State Vehicle Code citations.
· For instance, the Police Department could choose to offer a safety course to offenders instead of a citation and a court-ordered fine. The course may do more to impact future behavior, especially for younger riders who may not be as familiar with the rules of the road.
More e-bike safety efforts
The City of Carlsbad and Carlsbad Police have implemented several other initiatives in the past few years to enhance e-bike safety, including several that are ongoing.
· More enforcement of traffic safety rules and Vehicle Code violations
· Created resources to explain laws governing e-bikes and provide safety tips
· Hosted and promoted e-bike safety webinars and classes
· Created public service announcements and social media campaigns promoting safety and the rules of the road
· Working with the San Diego County Bike Coalition to promote bicycle and e-bike safety, including through free classes.
The City of Carlsbad and Carlsbad Unified School District are hosting a bicycle and e-bike safety and education workshop for parents and students on Tuesday, May 24, 6 – 7 p.m. at Pine Avenue Community Center. To attend, RSVP to Rosemary Eshelman Student Services Specialist at reshelman@carlsbadusd.net.
