The City of Temecula launched a safety course for e-bike and e-scooter riders as Riverside County emergency room visits tied to e-bike crashes more than quadrupled in two years.
The city announced its "Safe Riders" program on Monday, Oct. 26, according to Patch. The course covers riding techniques, rules of the road, emergency maneuvers and proper handling of bicycles, electric bicycles, electric scooters and other micromobility devices, the city said.
Participants will learn California laws governing the use of those devices, according to the city.
The launch comes against a sharp countywide backdrop. Data cited in a July 9 report from the Riverside University Health System showed e-bike-related ER visits across Riverside County rose from 224 in 2023 to 494 in 2024 to 958 in 2025. As of the July report, at least 416 incidents had already been reported in 2026.
E-bikes were involved in at least one fatality in 2024 and two fatalities in 2025, according to Riverside County coroner's death certificates cited in the RUHS report.
The age groups most likely to be involved in e-bike accidents range from 10 to 24 years old, the health system said. ER visits among 10- to 14-year-olds in the county more than doubled, from 155 in 2024 to 339 in 2025. Visits among 15- to 24-year-olds also more than doubled during the same period, from 122 to 248.
"E-bikes move faster and are much more powerful than traditional bicycles, so the injuries can be much more serious," Dr. Michael Mesisca, chair of emergency medicine for RUHS Medical Center, said in the July report. "Blunt head trauma, rib fractures, collapsed lungs and lacerations are more in line with what we're seeing in the Emergency Department, particularly among teens and young adults."
Mesisca said parents should familiarize themselves with e-bikes and consider the protective equipment and training a child or teen needs before riding.
Second District Supervisor and Board Chairwoman Karen Spiegel said in the same report that too many young riders are "making dangerous choices by driving too fast, not wearing a properly fitted helmet or not following the rules of the road."
The Temecula course also stresses that safe riding extends beyond streets and bike lanes. The city said riders must follow posted rules and be mindful of pedestrians at city parks, the Promenade Mall and other public spaces.
Details about the course are available at TemeculaCA.gov/EBikeCourse. The RUHS website offers a downloadable safety pledge and tips for talking to children about e-bike practices.
