(GOLETA, Calif.) – As e-bikes become an increasingly popular way for students, families, and adults to get around Santa Barbara County, local leaders are bringing jurisdictions, schools, law enforcement, public health and transportation partners together to identify concrete steps to make e-bike travel safer for everyone.
Today, Santa Barbara County Supervisor Laura Capps, City of Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte and MOVE Santa Barbara County Executive Director Sarah Iannarone convened a regional e-bike safety roundtable at the Goleta Valley Community Center.
More than 25 leaders and experts participated, representing Santa Barbara Unified School District, Goleta Union School District, California Highway Patrol, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, Santa Barbara Policy Department, the District Attorney, representatives from the office of Assemblymember Hart, Cottage Health, and transportation agencies.
“E-bikes can be an important transportation option for students and adults, and we want people to use them safely,” said Supervisor Laura Capps. “At the same time, I hear from constituents almost daily about concerns around speed, unsafe riding, and conflicts between e-bikes, pedestrians and vehicles. No single agency can solve this on its own. Today was about bringing the right people to the same table and turning those concerns into solutions we can pursue together.”
The roundtable centered on four areas for action and continued collaboration: education, infrastructure, enforcement, and legislative change.
Education: Creating a shared safety message
Schools, transportation experts, law enforcement and MOVE discussed opportunities to strengthen and coordinate safety education for young riders and their families. Potential next steps include hands-on riding skills, increased parent education, helmet requirement awareness and distribution, and coordinated safety messaging across local schools and communities.
Public health experts also brought an important perspective to the conversation, sharing observations about e-bike-related injuries and identifying safety messages most likely to resonate with young riders and parents.
“MOVE has been working on e-bike safety conversations throughout the region, and one thing is clear: we need to work together,” said Sarah Iannarone, Executive Director of MOVE Santa Barbara County. “Students and families don’t experience jurisdictional boundaries when they’re traveling to school, work or activities. Coordination across jurisdictions and sectors can help us make safety information more consistent, improve infrastructure faster, and ensure that our policies reflect how people actually move around our communities.”
Infrastructure: Making safer choices easier
Transportation and public works representatives examined specific locations where changes to the infrastructure could reduce conflicts and improve safety. The group identified potential opportunities involving physical separation on trails and school routes, safer crossings, striping, and traffic calming.
Participants also discussed how to better identify safety hotspots and prioritize improvements based on where the greatest risks and conflicts are occurring.
“E-bike safety is a community issue and it requires a community response,” Mayor Paula Perotte shared. “The City of Goleta is committed to working with our neighboring jurisdictions, schools, law enforcement, and transportation partners to find solutions that are effective, realistic, and focused on keeping everyone safe.”
Enforcement: A coordinated approach
Law enforcement agencies from across the region discussed common safety concerns, enforcement challenges, and opportunities for greater coordination, particularly at locations where regular enforcement can be difficult.
The group emphasized the importance of distinguishing lawful e-bikes from modified or higher-powered devices that may not meet California’s legal definition of an e-bike. Participants explored a range of tools – from education and diversion to targeted enforcement and other legal responses – to ensure that interventions are effective and address the level of risk.
Legislative Change: Connecting local needs to state policy
Representatives from Assemblymember Hart’s office provided updates on proposed changes to California’s e-bike laws, including legislation addressing speed, equipment, and the classification and sale of high-powered electric devices.
The group discussed how state policy changes could support local efforts and identified opportunities to share local experiences and lessons with state policymakers as the laws governing e-bikes continue to evolve.
The organizers emphasized that the roundtable is the beginning of an ongoing regional collaboration. Participants identified actions across all four areas and will continue working together to determine what can be implemented in the near term and which will require longer-term planning, resources, or state action.
