Police Files

NBPD to enforce rules of the road for e-bikes beginning this weekend

The Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) will conduct a traffic safety operation tomorrow (Saturday), July 9 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The NBPD’s Traffic Division and Peninsula Enforcement Team (PET) are partnering together in a joint operation to address any unsafe e-bike traffic with heavy enforcement as well as education. This first operation will focus on the peninsula area to include the oceanfront boardwalk. Additional e-bike traffic safety operations in the city are expected through summer.

Over the last year, the electric bike industry has boomed. E-bikes are now very popular throughout Orange County’s beach communities, especially here in Newport Beach. We have seen a dramatic increase in the number of e-bikes on the roads, trails and sidewalks within our community. Unfortunately, we have also seen a noticeable increase in traffic law violations that have caused some safety concerns.

Both the NBPD and the City of Newport Beach regularly receive complaints regarding e-bikes. The complaints include such things as children not wearing helmets, unsafe operations, California Vehicle Code (CVC) violations, and near collisions between e-bike riders and pedestrians.

The ultimate goal of this operation is to encourage the safe and responsible operation of e-bikes. This will be accomplished by heavily enforcing the law against violators while at the same time educating these e-bike riders on the rules of the road as well as provide e-bike traffic safety tips. 

The NBPD strongly believes that this traffic safety operation with both its heavy enforcement and accompanied education will enhance the safety of both the residents and visitors to our community.