Дата публикации: 21-05-2026 12:36:58

As more kids ride e-bikes around San Diego neighborhoods, many parents are trying to decide whether their own teen is ready for one.
Doctors, parents, and e-bike experts say there is no one-size-fits-all answer. While e-bikes can give teens more independence and make it easier to get to school, sports, and activities, they also come with serious safety risks.
A family divided on e-bikes
13-year-old Hudson has been trying to convince his dad, Harmony Buenavista, to buy him an e-bike.
“I can travel places faster. Hang out with my friends. I feel like it’s fun,” said 13-year-old Hudson Buenavista, who has been trying to convince his dad to buy him an e-bike since the start of 2026.
Hudson’s father, Harmony Buenavista, said the family is still undecided.
“I said that I would think about it, but I never really got to answering him yet, but he sends me links,” Buenavista said, adding that he has much to consider and research before deciding if his son is ready to own one.
Hudson’s grandparents, Jack and Lita, disagree over Hudson getting an e-bike.
“For me, it’s no, definitely no,” Hudson’s grandfather Jack said. “For me, it’s yes,” Hudson’s grandmother jumped in.
Harmony Buenavista said one of his biggest concerns is how some teens ride.
“I’ve seen a lot of kids around the neighborhood not wearing helmets, those kinds of things, and doing crazy things,” he said, adding how he’s seen some run red lights and not follow other rules of the road.
Buying the right e-bike matters
Rodolpho Dias from Ride1UP in San Diego explains he’s glad to see parents ask tons of questions before buying an e-bike.
Rodolfo Dias, who owns an e-bike store in San Diego, said he often sees dangerous riding behavior from young riders.
He says e-bikes allow kids to cover greater distances when it comes to outdoor and extracurricular activities, especially when they’re surrounded by the hills.
“Too fast, not paying attention, doing wheelies, super dangerous. Kids without helmets, it’s too much,” Diaz said.
Diaz added that he enjoys it when parents go into the store asking questions before buying an e-bike.
He recommends families take time to understand state and local laws, review school policies, teach rules of the road, and stay involved even after purchasing an e-bike.
“Parents also can guide them, teach them, and go with the kids. What’s the route they’re doing through school? Go with them a couple of times,” Diaz said.
California divides e-bikes into three classifications:
Class 1: Pedal-assisted, up to 20 mph
Class 2: Throttle-assisted, up to 20 mph
Class 3: Pedal-assisted, up to 28 mph, restricted to riders 16 and older
State law also requires all minors riding e-bikes to wear helmets.
Severe e-bike injuries on the rise
At Rady Children’s Hospital, trauma medical director Dr. Romeo Ignacio said doctors are seeing more severe e-bike injuries involving children and teens.
Dr. Romeo Ignacio from Rady Children’s Hospital urges parents not to rush into buying an e-bike for their teenager.
“We have seen some kids with really bad skull fractures, facial fractures, facial traumas, really bad brain injuries,” Ignacio said. “They’re here in the ICU, and sometimes they don’t recover normally.”
According to Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego, e-bike trauma activations involving minors have climbed sharply in recent years:
2021: 3
2022: 14
2023: 60
2024: 145
2025: 262
From January to March of 2026, the hospital had already registered 89 e-bike trauma activations. On pace to exceed last year’s number.
Ignacio said many parents are devastated after serious crashes.
“I see the regret on their face. They’re like, ‘Gosh, my kid ended up here, and I bought them this. I thought I was doing the right thing,’” Ignacio said.
He emphasized that he is not against e-bikes, but urged parents to have ongoing serious conversations about safety.
“You’ve got to do this,” Ignacio said. “This is not just a bicycle. This is a motorized vehicle with an electric engine, and I want to make sure that you’re safe.”
Diaz said choosing the right bike also matters. He said some teens want large, high-powered e-bikes they see online, even if they are not experienced enough to handle them safely.
“It’s all about feeling,” Diaz said. “They can be in love with the bike, but once they hop on, it’s too big, it’s too large, the wheelbase is too long.”
Experts also say parents should consider a child’s maturity level and ability to handle peer pressure.
So will Hudson get an e-bike?
“Peer pressure is a thing,” Harmony Buenavista said. “Even when I grew up, things that I didn’t want to do, I ended up doing because my friends were doing it, right?”
Hudson’s grandfather remained skeptical. “He’s too young and too wild,” Jack said. Grandma immediately said Hudson should get one as long as he just rides it around the block.
Hudson believes he could handle the responsibility.
“So do you think you could ride an e-bike and be honest with me here, responsibly, Hudson?” he was asked.
“Yes, probably,” Hudson said before quickly correcting himself. “Yes!”
His father still has doubts. “I feel like he’s not there yet, as far as maturity level and being able to be responsible enough to be all alone,” he said.
Harmony and Hudson hug it out as they put on hold the purchase of an e-bike.
Experts recommend parents consider safety training programs and apps that can monitor riding speeds if they decide their child is ready for an e-bike.
Here are some links to free classes in San Diego County:
San Diego County Bike Coalition
SANDAG
Scripps
RideReadySD
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.

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