
In another incident in 2019, Coto de Caza resident Jennifer Fitzpatrick crashed after she could not slow her rented Rad e-bike as she sped down a hill at the Resort at Pelican Hill, she claimed in a lawsuit. “Rad needs to take responsibility,” Marsh said.

Rad Power Bikes did not immediately respond to questions about Rhett’s accident. “The bike literally just fell apart,” she added.īut the company took no responsibility for the incident and blamed the Marshes, she said. He somehow landed on his feet, Marsh said. Karissa Marsh says her 11-year-old son Rhett was unharmed July 7 when the front wheel of the RadRunner he was riding in Manhattan Beach detached from the bike, sending him flipping over the handlebars. They say the loss of a child is like the worst thing that can possibly happen to you and all I can say is that’s true. Kaufman added, however, that speedy e-bikes can be very dangerous for people as young as Molly and that a sticker on the bike noting it is for adult use only could help keep kids from riding. “E-bikes can be especially helpful for someone going from school to a job and then home.” “Older teens, while technically still minors, may have responsibilities outside the home like after-school jobs or caring for relatives or other responsibilities that require them to move around,” said Sarah Kaufman, a professor who runs the New York University Rudin Center for Transportation. Underage riding is not necessarily a problem, experts say.
#RAD POWER BIKES NEAR ME LICENSE#
While companies like Lime and Bird require riders to be 18 and upload a driver’s license in order to rent an e-scooter, kids can circumvent the rules by using a parent’s account. Minors using electric bikes has been an issue since e-bikes and e-scooters hit the streets. Molly and her friend had ridden all the way up the steep climb of Enchanted Way and lost control of the e-bike as they sped back down. OopsĪs national and state parks change e-bike rules, an e-biker needs to ask a lot of questions and ride with care. Travel & Experiences I had tons of fun riding an e-bike in a national park. Laguna Beach, for example, launched an education program aimed at young people after officials noticed kids speeding through town.Į-bike enthusiasts argue the machines are safe if used properly. Los Angeles responded with more bike lanes and some protective lanes, but critics say it’s not enough.Īs more children use e-bikes, some communities have taken notice. The commission reported 71 fatalities across the country over that period.īike safety in general has become a major issue in cities across the country, with activists demanding governments do more to protect them from cars. The federal Consumer Product Safety Commission found a steady 70% rise in injuries on e-scooters, e-bikes, and hoverboards from 2017 to 2020. Rad Power Bikes alone boasts having nearly 500,000 riders on their e-bikes, and it is one of several major manufacturers.Īs use has skyrocketed, so have injuries across the country. They are now taking aim at the larger issue of e-bike safety for children and specifically at the Seattle-based company whose e-bike Molly was riding.Į-bike and scooter use has surged across the country and in Los Angeles. Time passed and the Steinsapirs’ fog of mourning hardened. “I can’t imagine ever going back to Enchanted Way again,” Kaye, 44, added. Now I kind of have because it brings on more and more meaning not having gone there since.” That’s why the girls rode up there that day. “It’s a really beautiful street with beautiful ocean views.


I have not been up there since,” Jonathan Steinsapir, 44, said. Steinsapir’s friend tried to brake as they sped downhill, but the bike did not stop, and instead the girls lost control and were thrown to the concrete, where Molly lay facedown, unresponsive, her helmet still on, according to the lawsuit. The couple filed suit this week against Rad Power Bikes, the burgeoning company whose product Molly Steinsapir was riding down the steep hill of Enchanted Way with a friend on Jan. Enchanted Way is a little street in Pacific Palisades with breathtaking views of the ocean spread out below.īut ever since their 12-year-old daughter died in an e-bike crash on the block a year and a half ago, Jonathan and Kaye Steinsapir have avoided the majestic road near their house.
