Santee is hitting the brakes on kids’ electric bikes, and it is starting with student riders. This month, the city and Santee School District announced a package of school assemblies, mandatory student e-bike registration, and parent outreach tied to a new local ordinance that blocks children under 12 from operating most e-bikes. City officials say they are pairing education with enforcement, including a public-awareness period before any tickets are written, in an effort to cut crashes without blindsiding families. After warnings, the penalty is a $25 citation.
What Santee is doing
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, district communications director Cori Harris said schools plan to host assemblies with the San Diego County Bike Coalition, send email notices to parents, distribute informational pamphlets, and require students to register their e-bikes. As part of that outreach, Harris is urging consistent helmet use and warning students not to ride on sidewalks.
The ordinance in brief
The Santee City Council approved the ordinance in December 2025, making Santee the latest city to bar anyone under 12 from operating Class 1 or Class 2 e-bikes, the models that assist pedaling or offer a throttle and can reach about 20 mph. That move follows a wave of similar measures around San Diego County as cities respond to rising injuries and reports of risky riding behavior. Officials say they built in a phased rollout so families have time to adapt before formal citations start. The Times of San Diego has reported on the regional trend and Santee’s decision to join it.
Legal and enforcement details
The local rule relies on Assembly Bill 2234, the San Diego Electric Bicycle Safety Pilot Program, which authorizes jurisdictions in San Diego County to prohibit people under 12 from riding Class 1 or 2 e-bikes. Under that law, a violation is an infraction that can be punished by a $25 fine or by completing an approved safety or training course. The statute also requires a 30-day public information campaign before the rules take effect and limits enforcement to warning notices for the first 60 days. The pilot program is temporary and scheduled to expire on Jan. 1, 2029, according to the bill text on LegiScan.
How this fits into a countywide crackdown
Santee now joins Coronado, Chula Vista, Poway, San Marcos, and Carlsbad in tightening rules for young e-bike riders as officials look for ways to curb injuries and hazardous riding. Carlsbad has declared a local emergency and is reviewing stricter age limits, while some cities are arming officers with new enforcement tools, including Oceanside’s move to let police seize e-bikes used recklessly. Reporting on Carlsbad’s review and Oceanside’s proposed seizure powers helps explain why Santee leaders decided not to wait on the sidelines. KPBS and other coverage of council actions have tracked those developments.
Local reaction
“Adults are part of the problem,” Santee Mayor John Minto told the Union-Tribune, suggesting the city may consider consequences for parents if a child racks up repeated violations. Harris, the district communications director, told the same outlet that the emphasis is squarely on education, with a focus on helmets, road rules, and safer riding habits before enforcement kicks in. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported those comments.
What schools and parents should know
District officials say the assemblies and registration requirements are designed to make it easier to reach families and steer students toward training options. The City of Santee has previously hosted safety workshops with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, and law enforcement agencies around the county have leaned on an education-first approach as e-bike crash reports rise. The California Highway Patrol logged 82 e-bike crashes in San Diego County in 2024, most of them resulting in injuries. Parents are being urged to check the bike's classification label, insist on helmets, and talk through the basic rules of the road with their kids. The City of Santee and other regional coverage outline those outreach efforts and the crash data.
City and school officials say the goal is to protect children on the road while giving families a reasonable adjustment period. For details on student registration requirements and upcoming assemblies, residents are being told to watch Santee city and school district announcements for schedules and instructions.
