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Carlsbad Police report uptick in e‑bike enforcement, cite two Q3 fatal collisions
Summary
The Carlsbad Police Department reported increased traffic enforcement in Q3, including targeted e‑bike operations and DUI checkpoints funded by the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS). Sergeant Travis Anderson said officers impounded 28 illegal motorcycles and that two fatal collisions (Sept. 13 and Oct. 17, 2025) are under District Attorney review.
The Carlsbad Police Department reported a rise in targeted traffic enforcement in the third quarter, citing expanded e‑bike operations, Office of Traffic Safety‑funded education and DUI enforcement, and two fatal collisions being investigated by the District Attorney.
Sergeant Travis Anderson, traffic sergeant for the Carlsbad Police Department, told the Traffic Safety & Mobility Commission that officers used OTS funding for education and enforcement efforts including “know your limits” events, two DUI checkpoints and saturation operations that likely contributed to increased DUI calls this summer. He said department activity from May 1 through Aug. 31 included 287 calls for service, 179 officer‑initiated stops and 28 impounded illegal motorcycles.
“And we used social media to highlight our efforts as well as trying to continue to educate a lot of people who get their news through social media,” Anderson said. He added that the impounds and parent outreach appear to have reduced unsafe riding among local youth.
Anderson also reported two fatal collisions in the quarter. The first, on Sept. 13, 2025, occurred at Piraeus and La Costa Avenue and involved a broadside vehicle‑vehicle crash; the second, on Oct. 17, 2025, involved a vehicle and a bicyclist on Carlsbad Boulevard. Both investigations were turned over to the San Diego County District Attorney’s office, Anderson said.
The department’s collision analysis showed the leading primary collision factors were unsafe speed, improper turning, red‑light violations and sign violations. Anderson said collision counts were steady year‑to‑year overall, but that e‑bike‑related collisions rose between quarters and were concentrated in school and beach corridor areas.
Public commenters asked the department to crack down on drivers who try to evade red‑light enforcement. David Pierce, a resident, said he has observed devices that obscure license plates and urged “zero tolerance” enforcement for those vehicles. Anderson explained that increased enforcement, added motor officers and OTS programs are part of a broader strategy that also includes collaboration with engineering, fire and local schools to pursue long‑term safety solutions.
The commission questioned staffing for motorcycle motor officers and whether increases are permanent; Anderson said the department aims to reach eight motor officers but that staffing and training constraints make the number variable. He also described an educational‑first approach for e‑bike contacts: initial contacts focus on education and provision of helmets, while repeat offenders may receive citations.
