Only about one in three younger e-bike riders observed by Marin County health officials wears a helmet, the county's Health and Human Services Department reported, a figure that underscores persistent safety gaps even as youth crash rates have fallen 28% since 2024.
The helmet compliance data adds urgency as San Rafael City Schools students head back to class Wednesday, Aug. 19. County public health data show youth e-bike crashes spike in late summer and fall, coinciding with the start of the school year.
As we reported Aug. 12, crash rates for riders ages 10 to 15 dropped from 16.25 to 11.65 per 10,000 residents between July 2024 and June 2026. But that age group still crashes at nearly four times the rate of any other in the county.
"Beyond the rates, our data shows that helmet use remains inconsistent among younger riders (approximately 35% compliance) and that overpowered devices are involved in a disproportionate share of more severe incidents," Niccore Tyler, chief assistant director of the Marin County Health and Human Services Department, told the Marin Independent Journal.
Overpowered, illegal devices are a particular concern. Findings from the county align with a December 2025 Mineta Transportation Institute study commissioned by the California Legislature that flagged souped-up e-bikes as a key driver of severe injuries among young riders.
Monica Stafford, a San Rafael mother whose 15-year-old daughter Amelia fractured her skull in a September 2023 e-bike crash near Terra Linda High School, told the Marin IJ she wants a unified national standard. Amelia, who was not wearing a helmet, underwent three brain surgeries and spent two months in intensive care.
Marin County Supervisor Mary Sackett, who leads the county's Special Committee on Youth E-Bike Safety, said the goal is to get more kids riding safely, not fewer kids on bikes.
What the law requires
The Marin E-Bike Safety Pilot Program, authorized by Assembly Bill 1778 from Assemblymember Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael), took full effect in early fall 2025 after the county and all 11 Marin cities and towns adopted matching ordinances. Under the rules, no one under 16 may operate a Class 2 (throttle-assisted, 20 mph max) e-bike anywhere in Marin, and helmets are required for all Class 2 riders regardless of age.
State law separately bans riders under 16 from Class 3 e-bikes, which are pedal-assisted and reach up to 28 mph.
What's next
Marin County Public Health staff will present the latest EMS e-bike data to the Transportation Authority of Marin Board of Commissioners on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m. The meeting is at the Marin Civic Center, Board Chambers (Suite 330), 3501 Civic Center Drive in San Rafael, according to a county news release.
Dr. Lisa Santora, Marin County public health officer, cautioned against reading too much into early results, saying in the county's Aug. 11 news release that the small number of annual incidents makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions. She said another year of data collection will provide a stronger basis for assessing longer-term trends and any potential impacts of AB 1778.
The pilot program expires Jan. 1, 2029. The county must report citation data to the state Legislature by 2028.
