(a) On or before January 1, 2026, the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, shall conduct a study on electric bicycles to inform efforts to improve the safety of all users of the transportation system, and submit a report of the findings from the study to the Legislature. The study shall examine, identify, and analyze available information, including, but not be limited to, all of the following topics:

(1) Data on injuries, crashes, emergency room visits, and deaths related to bicycles and electric bicycles.

Terms Used In California Vehicle Code 21214

  • City: includes every city and city and county within this State. See California Vehicle Code 255
  • driver: is a person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle. See California Vehicle Code 305
  • electric bicycle: is a bicycle equipped with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts. See California Vehicle Code 312.5
  • Road: means any existing vehicle route established before January 1, 1979, with significant evidence of prior regular travel by vehicles subject to registration pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 4000) of Chapter 1 of Division 3. See California Vehicle Code 527
  • Street: is a way or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. See California Vehicle Code 590
  • vehicle: is a device by which any person or property may be propelled, moved, or drawn upon a highway, excepting a device moved exclusively by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. See California Vehicle Code 670

(2) Factors and circumstances that are correlated with the crashes of bicycles and electric bicycles.

(3) Best practices for policy to promote safe use of electric bicycles.

(4) Laws in other state vehicle codes pertaining to electric bicycles.

(5) Data on the safety impacts from electric bicycle components and accessories including, but not limited to, headlights, speedometers, brakes, tires, bells, and reflectors.

(6) Data on the safety performance of electric bicycle batteries.

(7) Data on the manufacturing of electric bicycles, including, but not limited to, the market of electric bicycles, manufacturer information, sales patterns, and the number of electric bicycles on California roads, including the usage by city and the reasons behind the usage.

(8) Review of policies that other countries with high electric bicycle ridership use to promote the safe use of electric bicycles, including, but not limited to, cyclist and driver training, street infrastructure policy, and insurance or licensing requirements.

(9) Recommendations for state policy to support expanded use of electric bicycles that protects the safety of riders and other road users, including, but not limited to, recommendations on whether there are needed revisions to the Vehicle Code, and improved data collection on electric bicycles.

(b) (1) A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be submitted in compliance with § 9795 of the Government Code.

(2) Pursuant to § 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section is repealed on January 1, 2030.

(Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 869, Sec. 2. (SB 381) Effective January 1, 2024. Repealed as of January 1, 2030 by its own provisions.)

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