Cities across Sonoma County are ramping up enforcement against underage riders on e-scooters and e-bikes. Public safety and school officials have spent two years trying education-first approaches, but say the number of teens riding illegally has only grown. Now the message is blunt: follow the rules or face citations.
“It’s been like pulling teeth to get kids and parents to follow the rules,” said Tim Mattos, Rohnert Park’s Interim Chief of Public Safety. His department has been issuing warnings and citations, but reports that underage e-scooter use on city streets keeps climbing. Crashes involving teens have already been reported in Sonoma and Petaluma.
The enforcement push also coincides with a new California state law that gives police the authority to confiscate e-scooters from riders using them illegally. That’s a significant escalation from previous penalties and a signal that lawmakers see this as more than a nuisance issue. Multiple departments countywide are now coordinating stepped-up patrols.
For everyday e-bike riders, the key distinction matters: e-bikes and e-scooters fall under different rules. E-bikes don’t require a driver’s license or permit, though the under-18 helmet mandate still applies. If you’re a parent buying your teen an e-bike or e-scooter, make sure you know which category the vehicle falls into. Getting it wrong could mean a court date.
The broader trend here isn’t surprising. E-bike and e-scooter sales have surged among younger riders, and cities nationwide are scrambling to catch up with regulation. Sonoma County’s approach of combining education with real financial consequences could become a model for other communities dealing with the same growing pains.
Source: The Press Democrat
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