Orange County has launched a new pilot program aimed at standardizing electric bicycle safety and compliance, as state leaders consider similar measures to address a rise in incidents. The RidePermit platform, developed by Coto de Caza resident Anthony Bright, began its rollout in Orange County on July 31, with the goal of creating a consistent statewide database for e-bikes, particularly for youth riders.
RidePermit requires students and their parents to complete a safety training course, pass a quiz, and register their e-bike online before riding to school. Successful registration provides users with a free digital ID that includes age, school, parent contact information, and details on the e-bike's model, class, and school district permission status. Parents have the option to purchase a $25 sticker decal for the e-bike. Bright stated his program would make it easier to "hold their parents accountable" for dangerous or illegal riding.
The initiative responds to growing concerns over e-bike crashes, injuries, and fatalities, especially among young people, and the varying regulations across different cities and school districts. Assemblymember Laurie Davies (R-Laguna Niguel), whose district includes parts of South Orange County, co-authored AB 1569. This state legislation proposes that the State Department of Education and California Highway Patrol develop a standardized e-bike safety and training program for students in grades 7 through 12. The bill passed the Senate 39-0 after passing the Assembly in May and awaits the governor's signature. Davies highlighted that local rules can vary, noting that "each city has different rules" for e-bike use.
Data from CHOC illustrates the increasing severity of e-bike incidents. The emergency room at CHOC reported a sharp increase in trauma activations for e-bike-related injuries, from one patient in 2021 to 201 patients in 2025. This surge in severe injuries coincides with Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer's announcement of an e-bike/e-motorcycle unit in May to review potential criminal charges. Recent cases include an Aliso Viejo mother charged with felony child endangerment and involuntary manslaughter, and a Yorba Linda father charged with felony child endangerment after his son sustained injuries on an illegally modified e-motorcycle.
RidePermit’s digital ID system would allow school resource officers or administrators to log incidents and inform parents, tracking rule violations. Bright envisions a free, statewide database that would provide empirical data for use by the state, school districts, schools, and law enforcement. A larger decal, functioning like a license plate, is also being developed to help officers identify fleeing riders without pursuit, linking back to parent contact information through the system. The first family to register was from Ladera Ranch, with father Mike Packman noting the program can "help track everybody’s e-bikes and put some regulation around it." While AB 1569 focuses on student training, Davies believes that registration for all e-bikes is "just a matter of time" for public safety.
