Santa Cruz could lead the nation in safe, active transportation — yet city leaders keep stalling, writes local bike enthusiast Brooke Secor. While e-bikes boom and collisions rise, officials have not added even basic protections for cyclists and pedestrians.
E-bike coverage
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Don’t wait for tragedy: Santa Cruz County must tackle e-bike danger today
Local activist Kevin Norton and surgeon John Maa warn that e-bikes are far more dangerous than most realize — especially for children. In California, e-bike crashes have surged nearly 19-fold since 2018 and were up 177% in Santa Cruz County in 2024, with some injuries resembling motorcycle wrecks.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Education, not local legislation, is best solution to e-bike concerns, Santa Cruz transportation board says
Santa Cruz transportation commissioners say education, not new local laws, is the best way to boost e-bike safety — urging state-level rules while police crack down on illegal high-speed models.
Posted inLatest News
Soquel man killed in e-bike crash near Watsonville identified
The California Highway Patrol has identified Robert Rieber, 78, as the Soquel man killed in an electric bike crash outside of Watsonville on Wednesday afternoon.
Posted inLatest News
78-year-old man dies in e-bike crash on Wednesday afternoon
A Soquel man was killed in an electric bike crash on Manfre Road in Watsonville on Wednesday afternoon, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Posted inLatest News
As powerful e-bikes gain popularity among young teens, Capitola urges state to adopt strict new rules
Capitola’s City Council and police department are advocating for increased regulation at the state level for young e-biker users. They want more training for younger users and recommend that some of that education can happen in schools.
Posted inCapitola & Soquel
Capitola police seize e-bike from teen rider as city presses for new state laws
Capitola police seized an electric bike from a teenager who they say ran a stop sign and popped a wheelie in the intersection in front of a police car earlier this week. The news comes ahead of a Thursday vote by Capitola City Council on whether to write a letter to local state legislators proposing new statewide e-bike regulations.
Posted inCapitola & Soquel
Teen on e-bike in serious condition after Capitola collision
A 17-year-old cyclist was seriously injured when his electric bicycle collided with a truck at a busy intersection in Capitola, police said.
Posted inLatest News
Capitola police seize illegal e-bike after pursuit of juvenile
The Capitola Police Department seized an e-bike after the rider evaded attempts to stop him. The bike was deemed not street legal.
Posted inLatest News
Santa Cruz woman killed in area’s first fatal e-bike collision this year
Santa Cruz pedestrian Helen Hines died Sunday after a collision with an e-bike rider Friday morning, according to her daughter, Cindy Diola. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the accident, which happened on Opal Cliff Drive when an 80-year-old man riding an e-bike collided with Hines.