Juliet Zuckerwise
Business Manager
A new state law regulating electric bikes is now in effect in Manhattan Beach, introducing updated safety requirements as e-bike use continues to rise throughout the community.
According to MB News, “A new law, effective January 1, requires electric bikes to have a red reflector or solid or flashing red light with a built-in reflector in the back.” Previously, rear lighting was only mandatory during nighttime riding, but now “the new law requires riders to have the light during all hours of operation,” MB News added.
The law, also identified as AB 544, intends to reduce accidents and improve visibility involving e-bike riders. MB News reports that the reflector “must be visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle.”
City and state officials view the new law as a necessary step toward improving safety as the number of e-bikes continue to increase. Student reactions to the new rule vary. A Mira Costa High School senior, Caitlin Kawalec, has been critical of e-bike use in Manhattan Beach and shares her reaction to the new requirement.
“I think that this law will be effective because this way cars can hopefully be aware of the bikes on the road and minimize accidents, overall,” Kawalec said. Increased visibility and clearer rules could help make streets safer for students as well as drivers.
Kawalec shared her thoughts regarding the debate of if the new rules will be enough to address ongoing safety concerns.
“I don’t think that [the new law] will permanently fix the problems that we see with e-bikes,” Kawalec said.
MB News also highlighted a second law, SB 586, clarifying that electric motorcycles, or “eMotos,” are not e-bikes and therefore aren’t street legal. Manhattan Beach Police have already impounded countless of these vehicles.
As enforcement begins, the new laws have sparked conversation among residents and students about responsibility, safety, and the use of e-bikes and their regulations moving forward.
“While the new regulations aim to make e-bike riding safer, their true impact will be measured by how seriously writers choose to take them,” MB News added.
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