Our Letter to the Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle

We are grateful to the San Francisco Chronicle for publishing our Letter to the Editor on e-bike safety and our initiatives to identify gaps in safe behavior and develop effective messaging that resonates with young e-bike readers. Here is the text:

​​Letters: 

Teen e-bike riders are taking dangerous risks. Here’s how to set them straight

Feb 22, 2026

Regarding “‘Growing Regarding “‘Growing epidemic’: Bay Area teen’s 40-mph crash reveals overlooked dangers of e-bikes” (Bay Area, SFChronicle.com, Feb. 14): Recent deadly crashes highlight the need for heightened awareness as electric bikes become woven into teen life across the Bay Area. 

The e-bike safety crisis recalls the early days of mopeds in the 1970s, when regulations struggled to keep pace with rapid adoption.

I’m chair of the California Association of Youth Commissions, which hears from teens across dozens of cities who rely on e-bikes and also recognizes that safeguards and rider behavior must evolve.

At a forum hosted by Assembly Member Diane Papan, the association emphasized how easily bikes can be modified by even elementary schoolers who watch instructional videos on TikTok. Therefore, legislators should think less like regulators and more like creators and meet teens where they are: social media.

To identify solutions, the association launched an e-bike safety and behavior survey and a youth-led safety video contest. Creative, peer-facing social media content can be harnessed to educate riders about safety while preserving the independence young people value.

Anya Dalal, chair, Hillsborough Youth Commission; co-founder and chair, California Association of Youth Commissions

Image credit: SF Chronicle