Laguna Niguel student urges county e-bike safety rules

A 12-year-old Laguna Niguel student is calling for Orange County to adopt youth e-bike safety reforms after saying two of his friends were injured in e-bike crashes, according to a Voice of OC opinion piece published Saturday.

The proposal comes as e-bikes remain a visible youth transportation issue across Orange County, with Guess citing high-profile injuries or deaths this summer in Santa Ana, Huntington Beach and Garden Grove.

Guess, a middle school student from Laguna Niguel, wrote in Voice of OC that Orange County should act before more riders are hurt. "Orange County should not wait for more crashes before taking e-bike safety seriously," Alex Guess, a 12-year-old student living in Laguna Niguel, California, said.

His Change.org initiative, called the “Implement E-Bike Safety Reform Now” petition, had 20 signatures on its first day and 750 signatures at the time Voice of OC published the piece.

The petition calls for five changes: a ban on most e-bike use by riders under 16 except for non-jailbroken Class I pedal-assist e-bikes, speedometers for all e-bikes, a county-issued bike license with an on-road test, a $160 fine for illegal or unsafe riding and a Youth E-Bike Safety Fund for bike lanes and safety research.

Guess wrote that too many students ride irresponsibly, sometimes without helmets and sometimes on modified bikes, according to Voice of OC. He said two friends had been injured in e-bike accidents.

"We aren’t cracking down on kids, we’re simply giving kids the safety and trust they need to enjoy riding without the fear or unnecessary danger," Guess said.

Guess said the petition also changed how he views civic participation: "This petition has also changed how I see my own voice."