Youth, Data, and Safety: Why Assemblymember Papan’s District Is Leading on E-Bike Policy
Anya Dalal
Youth, Data, and Safety: Why Assemblymember Papan’s District Is Leading on E-Bike Policy
On Saturday, January 31, Assemblymember Diane Papan convened a panel to address one of California’s most urgent youth safety issues: e-bikes. This is a high-priority issue for the CAYC, and we were honored to participate.
Earlier this month, Assemblymember Papan introduced Assembly Bill 1557, which would clarify that only electric bicycles with fully operable pedals and motors that do not exceed 750 watts of peak power qualify as e-bikes under state law. The legislation would close loopholes that allow high-powered vehicles to be treated like bicycles, helping keep dangerous machines off bike paths and shared spaces.
Bringing together trauma surgeons, researchers, law enforcement, local leaders, and youth advocates, the forum focused on solutions, including helmet use, education about traffic laws, and the importance of building experience on traditional pedal bikes before moving to e-bikes. Below are some of the key takeaways from my perspective:
Dr. Asha Weinstein Agarwal, Director of Education at the Mineta Transportation Institute and author of the Mineta Report on e-Bikes, urged lawmakers to align the max wattage limits with global norms, move the three-class system to a two-class system, require retailers to disclose what they are selling, and standardize statewide rules on age and helmet usage. I think these suggestions are all excellent. She also called for a rider handbook, public safety campaigns, and school partnerships to ensure young riders learn the rules of the road.
Dr. John Maa, a MarinHealth trauma surgeon, described caring for Amelia Stafford, a Marin County teen critically injured in 2023 after being thrown from a throttle-powered e-bike while tandem-riding. Amelia’s injury was covered in the New York Times, helping bring national attention to youth e-bike safety and spurring new state legislation, including AB 1778.
Captain Patrick Etchebarne of the California Highway Patrol emphasized the three E’s: enforcing traffic laws, educating riders (including the importance of helmets), and engineering safer streets. His comments resonated with me: helmets save lives, and we need to continue studying why and where they aren’t used.
Foster City Council Member Stacey Jimenez called for better bicycle infrastructure, funding, and consistent legislation. These comments are important because e-bikes are an essential mode of transportation for our youth, and optimizing the underlying infrastructure will help more youth use them safely and effectively.
Millbrae Vice-Mayor Stephen Rinaldi emphasized that policy must catch up with technology. This is a critical theme that comes up again and again.
Greg Land of San Mateo County Schools added that incorporating e-bike safety into school curricula gives students tools to ride responsibly. Because schools can provide mandatory information to youth, they are an important channel to use.
As a panel participant, I emphasized that e-bikes provide important independence for teens; however, I also updated the audience on some of our research results: young e-bike users (even younger than middle schoolers) are remarkably capable of modifying high-powered e-bikes. I urged lawmakers to think less like legislators and more like creators, meeting teens where they are (social media). I was excited to announce the CAYC Social Media Video Contest, which offers a $500 cash prize to the “Most Impactful Safety Message” to be awarded at the CAYC Spring Conference on March 21, 2026. We have a dual set of goals with this contest: (i) inspire kids to come up with clever ways to communicate with their peers; and (ii) provide a model to lawmakers for what is possible.
The Assemblymember Papan E-bike Community Forum demonstrated how medicine, research, law enforcement, local government, and youth leadership can work together to prevent injuries. With helmets, education, respect for traffic laws, and smart legislation like AB 1557, California can make e-bikes safer while preserving the freedom they offer young riders.