Instructor outlines e-bike safety program for school riders; local districts require training stickers

An instructor who operates ebikesense.com described a youth e-bike safety program at an El Segundo City meeting, saying the course combines classroom instruction, helmet and brake checks, and three on-bike drills intended to teach students how to ride safely around traffic.

"I developed a pretty comprehensive program ... where we're gonna do a classroom piece, interactive classroom piece where we talk about the rules of the road, e bike specific dangers, gives kids a a chance to ask questions, tell stories, and then we'll go outside, we'll do a safety bike and helmet check, and then follow that we'll go out to the parking lot and do 3 specific e bike drills," the instructor said.

The instructor said the three on-bike drills are a scanning drill, a stops drill to show the effects of poorly functioning brakes, and a signaling drill to practice left and right turns. "The 3 drills consist of a scanning drill. Really important you know how to scan without moving your bike too much, especially if you're riding near traffic. We do a couple stops ... that's really important if kids' brakes aren't running properly ... And then I also do a signaling drill where they have to signal right and left," the instructor said.

A parent at the meeting said she brought her daughter because of concerns about riding near cars and wanting the child to learn safe interaction with traffic. A student who attended the training said the program taught skills such as taking over a lane and signaling: "Mainly taking over lanes as, like, an e biker. I didn't know much about it ... So it's helpful to know, like, how to signal, how to tell other drivers how to like get, like I'm gonna go this way." Another attendee said the class also helps parents feel more comfortable with children riding e-bikes.

The instructor emphasized a helmet-fitting and equipment check as a practical component. She described one case where an improperly fitted helmet was adjusted during training and, a week later, that same student suffered a serious crash in which the helmet stayed in place and "saved his life." The instructor identified herself as a former teacher of 25 years and said she runs the program’s website, ebikesense.com.

Participants at the meeting noted that several local school districts have launched a sticker program requiring students to complete safety training before they may ride to school and park on campus; the instructor cited El Segundo along with Manhattan, Redondo and Hermosa as participating in that effort. "It takes all of us working together and the school districts have really done a great job this year including El Segundo," she said.

No formal motions or city actions were reported during the discussion. The presentation focused on the training curriculum, helmet and brake checks, and outreach to families and schools; attendees suggested the program can reduce conflicts between drivers and cyclists by clarifying expected interactions.

For more information, the instructor said materials are available at ebikesense.com.