Recent e-bike crashes raise questions about parental responsibility

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A teen was earnestly injured Sunday nighttime aft crashing a pouch motorcycle into a car astatine the intersection of West and Shields avenues successful Fresno, according to police. It's 1 of 2 crashes implicit the play that progressive e-bikes.

E-bikes and e-scooters person go progressively communal and are a convenient mode for radical to get around. But it besides poses risks to some riders and the public.

"I don't attraction if you're a juvenile oregon an adult, you request to obey the rules of the road. Every regularisation of the road," said Sgt. Michael McCray of the Fresno Police Department.

McCray said information should beryllium a cardinal information for families erstwhile choosing these vehicles for children.

"Whatever it is you're looking to acquisition for your child, to marque definite it is thing they tin thrust safely and that they've been trained connected due to the fact that we're getting a batch of these fatalities nowadays," McCray said.

Over the weekend, a 13-year-old lad died and 2 different children were importantly wounded successful 2 abstracted crashes involving e-bikes successful Fresno, constabulary said.

RELATED: E-bike information concerns connected the emergence aft 2 crashes successful Fresno

Safety concerns are besides driving argumentation changes elsewhere. At Fresno State, assemblage leaders program to prohibition e-scooters, bikes, and skateboards connected field starting adjacent fall, citing information issues.

Meanwhile, successful Southern California, an Orange County parent is facing felony charges, including involuntary manslaughter, aft prosecutors said her teenage lad critically injured an 81-year-old antheral by crashing into him portion riding an electrical motorcycle.

Questions astir erstwhile parents and children tin beryllium held criminally liable beryllium connected the circumstantial circumstances of each case, said Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp.

"In bid to scope the level of transgression liability, the parents would person to beryllium connected notice, and proceed to let entree to the motorcycle oregon conveyance and proceed to bash nothing," Smittcamp said.

Smittcamp said parents could besides perchance look civilian liability.

A 2025 study from San Jose State University recovered that successful 2024 determination were much than 900 crashes involving e-bikes. Fresno Police said the metropolis saw 2 e-bike fatalities past year.

Smittcamp said enactment is required erstwhile parents are made alert of unsafe behavior.

"Once those parents person those notices from whoever it is, a neighbor, a friend, idiosyncratic who mightiness spot them engaging successful that behavior, they truly request to enactment the lid connected it," she said.

Under California law, riders indispensable travel each postulation laws, including halt signs, signals and lane rules. Riders nether 18 are besides required to deterioration a helmet.

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