Apodaca: Our children’s safety is paramount

During their deliberation prior to voting last month on a new e-bike policy, it was clear that some of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District trustees had been struggling with the issue, and with their own consciences.

The proposed policy was the product of a months-long process initiated in response to a sharp increase in injuries involving e-bikes, and calls throughout the community to rein in reckless young riders.

No matter how carefully the policy was crafted, or how earnestly the board members weighed all the arguments and competing interests, some people would undoubtedly be left dissatisfied. At the board meeting, there were more than a few emotional moments and impassioned speeches. Whichever way this went down, it wouldn’t be easy.

The final vote was 6-1 in favor of the new policy to prohibit elementary and middle school students from bringing e-bikes onto school property beginning with the next school year. Trustee Ashley Anderson was the lone dissenter.

In the end, the tally was lopsided, but right up until the vote, modifications to the policy were still being made. Out went a proposed requirement that parents sign a document acknowledging the risk to their students riding e-bikes to school. The policy was also loosened for high school students, who will be allowed to bring Class 1,2, and 3 e-bikes to campus, rather than only Class 1 as previously written.

Yet even the somewhat less restrictive policy that was approved marked a milestone for the Newport-Mesa community, which has for the past few years been consumed by controversy surrounding e-bike safety. And it will no doubt be closely watched by other districts grappling with the same concerns and pressure for more action on the issue.

The vote came after several parents and one middle-school student, during public comments, vigorously objected to the anticipated adoption of the policy. They said that more study and community input was needed, and that car traffic was more dangerous, and likely to increase if e-bike ridership was curtailed.

The commenters argued that students and their families shouldn’t lose a vital means of transportation to and from school and extracurricular activities, and that students who operate e-bikes safely shouldn’t be punished for the actions of a minority.

During the board’s discussion, Anderson contended that it’s that role of cities, not school districts, to regulate e-bikes and improve transportation infrastructure. She also noted that routes to campuses varied and that a blanket restriction for all middle schools would curtail a needed means of access for some students.

Such concerns drove Board Vice President Michelle Murphy to acknowledge her “angst” over the decision. When her turn came to vote, she hesitated before finally joining with the majority.

Ultimately, the vote to adopt the policy came down to one overriding factor: safety.

Which is why the board made the right choice.

Consider that as recently as 2021, Rady Children’s Health Orange County, formerly known as CHOC, saw just one e-bike-related trauma case. Last year, there were 201, making such injuries the No. 1 reason behind its emergency trauma visits.

A national study recently released by Rady also showed a dramatic increase in e-bike injuries, with a major share of those involving head, neck, facial and internal organ trauma. Speed was identified as the primary factor in the severity of the injuries.

Such findings were no doubt front of mind among many Newport-Mesa board members.

Trustee Lisa Pearson explained that the district has collaborated with outside agencies and worked to enhance training and education about e-bike safety. Even so, the alarming rate of incidents involving e-bikes necessitated greater action.

“I would rather be criticized today, here right now, than sit here months from now wishing we would have done more to save a life or to hope that somebody wasn’t injured,” she said.

A similar sentiment was succinctly voiced by Trustee Carol Crane: “I don’t want to lose a kid on my watch.”

Some of the board members said that they have received considerable feedback from other parents regarding the issue, with the overwhelming majority favoring more restrictions. To that point, I imagine that some community members might even believe the new policy doesn’t go far enough.

Crane pointed out that district policies are “living documents” that can be studied and modified at a later date if circumstances change and new information becomes available.

For now, there are other ways to get to school, including buses operated by the district and by OCTA, and conventional bikes, which are still allowed but must be walked onto campus.

“We just don’t give kids these motorized bicycles that are exponentially more dangerous than manual bikes,” said Crane.

It would be a welcome outcome if, at some point, we have a more rigorous, uniform system of education, licensing and accountability, coupled with the infrastructure improvements needed to fit e-bikes more seamlessly into our complicated transportation network.

But we don’t have that yet. Until we do, we are likely to see more aggressive steps taken by school boards and other public entities. Keeping kids safe must always be the top priority.