This Bay Area city is now limiting the use of e-bikes and scooters. Here's why
The affluent city of about 43,000 East Bay residents has seen an uptick in young, mostly middle-school aged children driving the vehicles recklessly in city parks, officials said. Now the city is trying to curb what they say is dangerous driving by decreasing the speed limit on trails to 15 mph and issuing citations to offenders.
The City Council will take a second vote on the ban July 7 and, if passed, the ordinance will go into effect in August. The council previously passed an ordinance in 2024 to prohibit the use of e-bikes and scooters in business districts, and will consider more restrictions on the use of e-bikes on sidewalks in the fall.
"E-bikes are a great tool for young people, it gives them a sense of freedom," said Mayor Newell Arnerich. "It's a new technology and the technology came ahead of any thought for what might be needed to regulate that type of invention. It's clear now that there needs to be some guardrails to make it safe for everybody."
Danville's decision comes as other cities throughout the state try to restrict e-bike uses as public safety concerns mount. In one case, a Los Gatos teenager suffered extensive injuries after crashing while riding an e-bike at 40 mph. San Ramon, San Anselmo and Burlingame also prohibit e-bikes in city parks. But state law and vehicle code limits the restrictions that cities can impose on the use of e-bikes and scooters.
In 2024, a state law passed that allowed Marin County to launch a pilot program until 2029 that prohibits people under the age of 16 from riding a class 2 electric bike, meaning it has a throttle that allows people to ride without pedaling, and requires people to wear a helmet.
City officials say the need for more rules surrounding the use of e-bikes and scooters is due to an increase in reckless driving, particularly among children.
At a Danville council meeting in June, Tai Williams, the town's manager, said that police have stopped at least 30 people from driving recklessly on e-bikes and scooters. Williams did not specify the time period in which the stops occurred, but said there have been up to six citations in which the parents and children were either forced to pay a fine or attend a rider safety class.
Williams also said most of the offenders are late elementary school-aged to middle school-aged children. Many of the problems with reckless driving are happening at the Iron Horse Trail, a 27-mile track that runs through Danville, Walnut Creek, San Ramon and other East Bay cities, and at Osage Station Park due to its proximity to a nearby middle school.
"The town's approach over the last few years is really a reflection of the fact that our local authority on this topic is extremely limited," Williams said.
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This story was originally published June 23, 2026 at 7:11 PM.