Updated May 1, 2026
Clinically reviewed by Amy Frias, community health educator; Makenzie Ferguson, injury prevention educator; Mary Maginas, trauma nurse manager; and Dr. Laura Goodman, medical director of trauma at Rady Children’s Health in Orange County.
Rady Children’s Hospital Orange County (Rady Children’s) has seen a steady rise in pediatric injuries related to e-bikes. Unfortunately, electric bikes bring an increased risk of injury to children, specifically for adolescents.
Makenzie Ferguson, injury prevention educator at Rady Children’s, notes that the Julia and George Argyros Emergency Department in Orange has treated over 415 patients for traumatic injuries caused by e-bikes over the last three years — with 90 of those treated in the last four months alone.
Here, Makenzie offers safety advice to parents regarding e-bike riding for kids and adolescents.
Common injuries caused by electric bikes (e-bikes) at Rady Children’s
Of the pediatric e-bike injuries treated by Rady Children’s, the following were the most common:
- Concussions.
- Extremity (a limb of the body like an arm or leg) fractures.
- Skull fractures.
- Facial fractures.
As seen at Rady Children’s, these injuries were most commonly caused by falling off the e-bike, colliding with a static object while riding, being struck by a car while riding or being struck by someone on an e-bike while walking.
Can kids and adolescents safely ride e-bikes?
Most safety experts do not recommend e-bike use for children under 12. Pedal bicycles without electric assistance are a safer choice because the speeds are lower. Many families will still choose e-bikes because kids can go farther with less effort. If your family does choose to use e-bikes, there are some very important things that parents should keep in mind:
Wear a helmet with the chin strap fastened.
Only about half of the children Rady Children’s treated for e-bike injuries were wearing a helmet. In California, anyone under 18 is required to wear a helmet when riding a bike (even when they are a passenger on a bike). No matter the age or local laws, all children and adolescents should wear a helmet when using any e-bike, manual bike, scooter, etc.
Parents should teach their kids the importance of wearing a helmet at an early age and model this behavior by wearing one themselves. Always check the fit and make sure the helmet is fastened. If it’s not fastened with the chin strap, the helmet won’t help in the case of a crash.
When purchasing a helmet, choose one that meets the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) certification at a minimum. For higher‑speed e‑bikes, helmets certified to NTA 8776 or ASTM F1952 are designed to withstand more severe impacts and provide greater coverage.
Visit Virginia Tech’s resource ratings for e-bikes for more information. Rady Children’s experts speak about the importance of helmets for kids.
Don’t ride on an e-bike with another rider.
There should be no more than one rider on an e-bike at a time to reduce the risk of falling off the e-bike.
Go slowly.
Our research using data from the entire US has shown that injuries are worse with speeds over 20 MPH. Check the speed of your child’s e-bike – the maximum should be no more than 20 MPH. Above 20 MPH the motor should stop providing assistance.
Have knowledge of road safety.
Parents should not allow their children to use e-bikes unless they have a foundational knowledge of road safety. Parents should be aware of the different classes of e-bikes, as well as local laws and regulations.
Stay visible while riding.
Parents should make sure that their family members are visible to cars while riding e-bikes. Kids riding e-bikes should assume that they can’t be seen by cars. Some drivers may take a turn in front of you or come dangerously close to sideswiping you as you ride in the bike lane.
Starting in January 2026, California law requires e‑bikes to have a rear red reflector or a solid or flashing red light with a built‑in reflector that is visible from 500 feet and used at all times, not just at night. It is safest to ride with the front and rear lights on all the time.
Additionally, there are independent rearview radars available for purchase (separate from e-bike) that can be installed on an e-bike. These radars can sense and alert riders of vehicles approaching from behind.
Practice battery and charger safety
New rules are helping make e-bike equipment safer and reduce fire risk. E-bikes must use a certified lithium-ion battery — if it doesn’t have a recognized safety label like UL, it’s not legal to sell in 2026. Be sure to stop charging the battery once it is fully charged, do not charge batteries near items that may catch fire and do not store batteries in direct sunlight or inside hot vehicles.
Do not illegally modify your e-bike
Modifying an e-bike can be illegal and may lead to a reclassification of the bike as a motor vehicle — requiring registration, licensing, insurance and compliance with motor vehicle laws. Not only is it dangerous, but parents may also now be held legally responsible and cited for their child’s actions.
Our hospital has seen an increase in severe injuries associated with modified e-bikes —particularly when riders are not wearing helmets.
How old does a child have to be to ride an e-bike?
Most safety experts do not recommend e-bike use for children under 12. Certain e-bikes (class 3) are not allowed for children under 16. E-motorcycles are not allowed for those under age 16, and require a license and registration. E-bikes are broken down into the following classes based on their speed and the presence of a throttle:
- Class one: An electric bicycle that is equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling. It ceases to provide that assistance once the bicycle reaches 20 mph.
- Class two: An electric bicycle with a throttle-actuated motor, that ceases to provide pedal assistance when the bicycle reaches 20 mph.
- Class three: An electric bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance while the rider is pedaling, and ceases to provide that assistance when the bicycle reaches 28 mph.
There are no current age restrictions for riders of electric bikes in classes one and two statewide, though some localities have passed laws. Class three e-bikes require the rider to be at least 16 years old.
Most of the patients treated at Rady Children’s for e-bike injuries were between the ages of 14 and 16 years. However, the hospital has also treated children as young as 2 years for injuries caused by riding on an e-bike with an adult or being struck by an e-bike while walking.
It’s important to remember that just because there are no current age restrictions on class one and class two e-bikes doesn’t mean e-bikes are appropriate for children of all ages.
Learn more safety tips for manual bikes.
What are the risks associated with e-bikes for kids and adolescents?
The biggest risk associated with e-bikes is speed.
Injuries can occur with any wheeled device like manual bicycles, skateboards or scooters, but because e-bikes can travel up to around 30 mph, the speed can cause more severe injuries. Another risk associated with e-bikes is a lack of operator skill and knowledge. Riders need to have basic knowledge of road rules and situational awareness to ride safety and decrease the risk of injuries on the road.
There is no formalized road safety course required to use an e-bike, but we encourage parents to check with their local law enforcement agencies — many of whom now offer hands-on e-bike courses. There are also online courses that can be found at Rise 360 and RideReadySD.
Get more expert health advice delivered to your inbox monthly by subscribing to the KidsHealth newsletter here.
Get more safety and injury prevention tips from CHOC experts
More children are affected by injuries than all other childhood illnesses and diseases combined. Most of these injuries are predictable and preventable. Here’s how to keep your child safe.
