It was the Christmas surprise Carlsbad resident, Beckett Sherrill, 10, dreamed of ... a brand new e-bike.
"I mean I was stoked, so surprised," he said.
But with an e-bike comes increased responsibility … and worry, especially from parents, like Beckett’s mom, Diane Rose.
Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC San Diego newsletters.
E-Bike Stories in San Diego County
"Yeah, a lot of concerns. They are really fast," she said. "The helmet thing is a big one. I see a lot of kids riding their bikes with helmets unclipped."
In the city of Carlsbad, bike and e-bike collisions have been on the rise. Police said the city went from 30 bicycle and e-bike collisions in 2019 to 100 collisions in 2021.
Last August, two Carlsbad residents died in bike accidents, including a Carlsbad mom killed while riding an e-bike with her 1-year-old daughter.
Shortly after, Carlsbad declared a state of emergency. Since then, the city has stepped up enforcement and taken other steps to improve bicycle safety.
Carlsbad Police Lieutenant Scott Meritt is expecting even more e-bikes on the streets after this holiday season.
"You can’t be riding on sidewalks. Sidewalks are for pedestrians," he warned. "Stop at stop signs. Stop at red lights. Stay on the right side of the street. If there are no bike lanes, follow all bike lane rules. Just be generally hyperaware," he said.
Meritt also reminds everyone that anyone under the age of 18 must follow California law and wear a helmet.
Beckett Sherrill and his parents had numerous talks about traffic safety. "I’m definitely signaling, stopping at stop signs," he said. "I'm definitely having eye contact with drivers to make sure they know where I am going and what I am about to do."
His mom, who hopes the city adds more bike lanes soon, says it’s up to e-bike riders and vehicle drivers to be constantly aware.
"The reality is more and more kids are going to be on e-bikes. Instead of being annoyed by it, we really should embrace it. I mean, they are outside, they are riding their bikes," Rose said.
In August, Carlsbad approved spending up to $2 million to hire additional police officers, create and stripe or modify bike lanes, install additional speed signs and message boards and conduct rider training. On Monday, Lt. Meritt said that effort is paying off with fewer bike accidents in the city.
If you’re looking for an e-bike safety course, the San Diego Bike Coalition offers year-round educational events. For more information go their website: https://sdbikecoalition.org/
