San Francisco Supervisor Alan Wong announced a resolution calling for stronger enforcement of safety laws governing electric bikes, scooters, and other powered mobility devices, citing a wave of serious injuries showing up in the city's trauma wards. Some underage riders on unlawfully modified devices can now travel at 40 miles per hour, according to the resolution, while pediatric trauma centers across the country report a rise in severe e-bike injuries.
The resolution, reported by KTVU, would urge the San Francisco Police Department, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, and other city agencies to strengthen enforcement of existing rules if passed by the Board of Supervisors. It addresses serious injuries, reckless and high-speed riding, illegal sidewalk use, underage operation, and illegally modified e-bikes. Wong framed the effort as one focused on education and awareness rather than punishing responsible riders, saying the measure concerns education, enforcement, and awareness rather than restricting people who follow the rules.
“E-bikes and scooters can be valuable transportation options, but everyone must follow the rules of the road,” Wong said, according to the station's report. If approved, city agencies would coordinate efforts to prevent dangerous and illegal riding before serious injuries occur, strengthen collection and reporting of crash and injury data, and increase education for riders, parents, and the broader community. The resolution would also push for stronger age, helmet, speed, licensing, registration, and sidewalk-riding requirements.
Hospital Numbers Paint a Stark Picture
San Francisco General Hospital treated nearly 100 patients involved in e-bike crashes in 2025, per the same account, and more than half of those patients required hospital admission. Roughly 20 percent needed intensive care. Of the 102 riders involved in those crashes, only 36 were wearing helmets, a gap experts say has contributed to rising injuries and hospitalizations as helmet use among electric-bike riders has declined even as e-bike use has increased across Bay Area streets in recent years.
Kevin Li, a co-author of a study on electric-bike use, helmet use, injuries, and hospitalizations, said serious e-bike injuries are similar to injuries sustained in motorcycle crashes, per the article. That comparison echoes broader medical concern beyond San Francisco: CalMatters reported that Dr. Timothy Browder, trauma medical director at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, testified before a California Senate committee that the city's Level 1 trauma center — San Francisco's only one — sees a high concentration of severe e-bike injuries among children and young adults, with many facing lifelong disabilities.
Advocates Warn Seniors and Pedestrians Face Growing Risk
Margaret Graf, who founded Senior Power, an organization that advocates for elderly people, said in a statement that older residents are particularly vulnerable when riders travel quickly or use sidewalks. She said riders should follow road rules, yield to pedestrians, and recognize that older adults face heightened danger. The heavier weight and higher speeds of e-bikes and scooters can increase the severity of injuries, especially among children, and such riding puts pedestrians, seniors, families, and the rider all at serious risk.
A City Hall hearing tied to the push will bring together city agencies, medical professionals, community organizations, residents, and mobility advocates to examine current enforcement practices. The hearing will identify opportunities for improved coordination and education, and if the resolution passes, city agencies would also work to improve accountability among shared-mobility operators.
State Law Already Sets Strict Limits
California law already draws firm lines around e-bike use, even where local enforcement struggles to keep pace. Under California Vehicle Code sections governing e-bike classification, devices are divided into three classes, with Class 3 pedal-assist bikes capped at 28 mph requiring riders to be at least 16 years old and wearing a helmet regardless of age, according to Velosurance. Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes cap motor assistance at 20 mph. Separately, San Francisco Transportation Code Section 7.2.12 restricts bicycle riding on city sidewalks, as outlined by the Dolan Law Firm.
State lawmakers have also moved to give police more teeth against illegally modified devices. Assembly Bill 875 grants law enforcement explicit authority to impound non-compliant or modified e-devices for a mandatory 48-hour hold, while Senate Bill 1271 mandates UL safety certification for all e-bike batteries sold in the state, according to Himiway Bike. California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert in April warning that two-wheeled devices exceeding 750 watts or speed caps of 20 mph on throttle or 28 mph pedal-assist are legally mopeds or motorcycles, according to SoCalCycling.com, signaling enforcement aimed at retailers selling illegal out-of-class bikes.
A Statewide Pattern of Rising Injuries
San Francisco's numbers reflect a trend playing out nationwide. A UCSF study cited by KTVU found that emergency department visits for e-bike injuries across the United States surged by more than 3,000 percent. The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma reported in June 2025 that more than 20,000 people are injured annually on electric bicycles nationwide, with roughly 3,000 requiring hospitalization and head injuries occurring most frequently.
California Assembly Bill 2346, introduced with support from the California Medical Association, would mandate speedometers and running lights on e-bikes, recommend limiting riders under 16 to 15 mph, and allow local governments to set speed caps on bike paths, according to Capitol Weekly. Hoodline previously reported on that bill alongside medical testimony on pediatric e-bike trauma.
San Francisco's broader crash toll has drawn attention, including a fatal crash involving an e-scooter rider at Sixth and Market streets, Hoodline has reported. Wong's resolution now heads toward further City Hall discussion as officials weigh how to close the gap between state classifications for e-bikes and the enforcement challenges playing out on San Francisco's streets and sidewalks.
