A child was injured Thursday after being struck by a vehicle while riding an e-bike near Willow Street and Chestnut Avenue in Long Beach. The minor was taken to a hospital in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.
The collision occurred on Thursday, according to MyNewsLA.com, which reported that Long Beach police said the driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. Police said impaired driving was not a factor in the crash, and the cause remains under investigation. Video from the scene showed a boy with blood and cuts on his face being loaded into an ambulance, with his damaged e-bike left on the ground nearby.
Police have since cleared the scene, per the outlet's report, though no additional details on the driver or the exact circumstances of the impact have been released.
A Familiar Intersection for Long Beach Families
The crash adds to a string of e-bike incidents involving young riders in Long Beach this year. In July, a hit-and-run in North Long Beach at East Market Street and Elm Avenue left two juveniles riding motorized bikes injured; parents and community groups have pushed for tougher rules and education, according to Hoodline. That case, unlike Thursday's collision, involved a driver who fled the scene.
City leaders have been grappling with how to manage the surge in youth e-bike use for months. In June, the Long Beach City Council passed an ordinance barring e-bikes and e-scooters from the city's boardwalk, beach paths, and sidewalks, with fines reaching $500 for violators. The city's E-Bike Safety Initiative followed an October 2025 City Council directive tied to growing public safety concerns.
Police Have Already Cracked Down on Reckless Riding
Enforcement has already played out on Long Beach streets this year. In late March, the Long Beach Police Department deployed resources across multiple divisions to break up a group of roughly 50 people riding illegal e-motos, pocket bikes, and e-bikes recklessly through the city, resulting in one juvenile arrest, five citations, and six impounded vehicles, the City of Long Beach reported at the time.
State law has also tightened around underage e-bike use. Senate Bill 1271, in effect since January 2025, requires permanent labels on e-bikes specifying classification, top speed, and motor wattage, and the San Rafael Police Department says youth under 15 may not ride Class 3 e-bikes capable of 28 mph, according to the San Rafael Police Department. Separately, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department notes that all bicycle and e-bike riders under 18 must wear a helmet, and Class 3 e-bikes require helmets for riders of every age.
New Equipment Rules and Impound Penalties
Additional equipment standards took effect this year as well. As of January 1, Assembly Bill 544 requires e-bikes on public roadways to carry a red rear reflector or a solid or flashing red rear light with an integrated reflector at all times, expanding visibility rules beyond nighttime hours, according to Go Safely California. The same legislative session produced Assembly Bill 875, which authorizes peace officers to impound for at least 48 hours a vehicle that does not meet the definition of an e-bike and is capable of speeds over 20 mph if operated by an unlicensed driver, or a Class 3 e-bike operated by a child under 16; a safety course may be required as a condition of release in the latter case.
State lawmakers have signaled they aren't finished. Pilot programs authorized under 2024 legislation allowed select counties to restrict children under 16 from operating throttle-assisted Class 2 e-bikes, laying groundwork for a 2026 proposal from the Office of Assemblymember Diane Papan that would let municipalities prohibit e-bike operation for children under 12 entirely.
Youth E-Bike Injuries
The Long Beach crash comes amid concern about e-bike-related injuries among children. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department says that in 2022, roughly 36 percent of micromobility injuries involved children 14 years old and younger.
For now, Long Beach police continue to investigate what led to Thursday's collision near Willow and Chestnut. No further updates on the child's condition or the driver's identity have been released.
