San Diego is cracking down on e-bikes, with new rules banning young kids from riding and limiting passengers.

Why it matters: E-bikes are popular but sometimes dangerous vehicles, and crashes are sending more kids to the hospital for traumatic injuries.

Driving the news: The City Council voted unanimously yesterday to adopt new regulations under a pilot program that bans children under 12 from riding class 1 and class 2 e-bikes.

• Passengers will only be allowed on bikes with a second seat.
• There will be a 60-day warning period before $25 citations are issued, and kids can take an e-bike safety course to get a ticket waived.
• The rules will take effect 30 days after a final approval by the council and the mayor. The program will run through 2029.

Zoom in: The program requires police to collect data on the number of traffic stops, citations, rider ages and races, crashes, injuries and e-bike types and report it to the state.

"We want fewer children showing up to ERs," Councilmember Raul Campillo told Axios. "I'm really hoping that the educational component of this program will help solidify in young people and their parents just how dangerous these can be."

Between the lines: The city's pilot program was established through a state law that went into effect last year.

• So councilmembers couldn't alter or add restrictions, like increasing age limits or banning particular bikes, Campillo said.
• This program was "designed to be the first step of many," he said.

By the numbers: E-bike collisions across San Diego have nearly quadrupled over the past five years, per an Axios analysis of police data.

• The number of accidents involving kids rose by over 300% from 2019 to 2023, according to the city.

Threat level: E-bikes are on track to become the most common cause of child trauma cases at Rady Children's this year.

• The ER is seeing kids with bone and spinal fractures and severe head injuries, including skull fractures, brain bruises and bleeding.

State of play: The rise in e-bike injuries prompted a countywide public health warning in May.

• La Mesa, Carlsbad, Oceanside, San Marcos, Poway, Imperial Beach, Encinitas and Coronado have all adopted regulations enforcing age limits for kids under 12.
• San Diego Unified schools have various policies set by principals and PTAs, like making students do training and have a signed form to park their e-bike at school, Campillo said.

What we're watching: The state Legislature could create new or stricter regulations after evaluating the pilot programs across the state or anytime before they end.

More details

California is hoping future generations will be impressed with its technology when they open America's Time Capsule in 250 years.

The big picture: Seven treasures from our state will be buried in a 900-pound steel capsule in Philadelphia as part of a nationwide project to preserve pieces of U.S. history as part of the country's 250th anniversary celebration.

• The more than 200 letters and artifacts collected from the federal government and all 56 states and territories are meant to create an authentic record of American life in 2026.

What's inside: AI model Claude's prediction of what California will be like 250 years from now, because of course AI's thoughts about us would be represented.

• A piece of a fusion conductor built here by General Atomics that is powering the world's largest nuclear fusion experiment;
• A qubit chip from UC Berkeley, which quantum computers use to solve problems that classical computers struggle with;
• A coin featuring Steve Jobs;
• A photo of California from space, showing off its topography in winter;
• The poem "My California" by Lee Herrick;
• A letter to the future from Gov. Newsom and his wife.

Tell us: What do you think California should have buried in America's Time Capsule?

• Hit reply or email [email protected] to share your thoughts.

Tell a time traveler

🇺🇸 A 21-foot, 16,900-pound steel beam from the World Trade Center visited San Diego yesterday. It's part of a traveling exhibit to memorialize the 9/11 attacks. (Tunnel 2 Towers Foundation)

📵 San Diego school leaders voted to limit student technology use in classrooms.

• The proposal would ban YouTube, other video streaming and non-educational gaming on individual devices and remove computers from transitional kindergarten classrooms.

🌿 San Diego is cracking down on illegal cannabis delivery services. (Union-Tribune)

• A new policy will also create new permit requirements, increase penalties and allow legal dispensaries to sue illegal ones.

🚰 The San Diego County Water Authority proposed a 3% water rate increase for 2027. (CNS)

San Diego's remote workers have another chance to show the world how chill (and somewhat productive) we can be. This time at Law Street Beach.

Local content creator Scotty Muirhead is hosting a remote work meetup in Pacific Beach from 9am-noon tomorrow.

• He's expecting about 100 people to show up, and got a permit from the city for this one.
• Bring your laptop (and maybe an umbrella for the glare), but leave alcohol, household furniture and large canopies or tents at home.

🗑️ Stick around for the beach cleanup afterwards.

"And now, downward facing dog."

No, the Padres' Jackson Merrill isn't doing yoga mid-game, but it sure looks like it!

• He's actually inspecting the camera at second base during Monday's game against the Atlanta Braves.

Hit reply and send us your best funny captions for the photo and maybe we'll include some in a future newsletter!