La Mesa Bans E-Bikes for Kids Under 12

0:00It's April 22nd. This is California News Today, Local News Powered by AI. La Mesa just became the latest spot in San Diego County to drop an e-bike rule aimed at keeping kids safe. Last week, the City Council gave it a unanimous 5-0 thumbs up, banning anyone under 12 from riding standard e-bikes that hit up to 20 miles per hour. They can even snag those bikes if rules get broken. This move lines up with a state law from 2024, letting cities like Santi, Chula Vista, and Coronado set their own limits. California already bars kids under 16 from the beefier class. Three e-bikes that top out at 28 miles per hour. Folks on the council are fired up about the risks, especially after a March study from Rady Children's Hospital showed e-bike crashes for riders under. 18 jumping from under 2% in 2017 to nearly 40% by 2023. One council member shared, it's personal. She's got a 10-year-old who shouldn't touch anything over 5 miles per hour.

1:03They're set for a second reading on April 28th, followed by a 30-day push to spread the word before it kicks in. First 60 days, you'll just get a warning for slip-ups, then it's a $25 fine you can dodge with some safety training. Safety first on these streets, as more cities step up to protect the young riders rolling through.