January 19-23, 2026

E-bikes are an increasingly popular way to get around town as there are many benefits to riding one, however, it’s important for users to understand how to safely operate them, and for drivers to know how to share the road. Therefore, for the fourth year in a row, the City of Goleta is bringing attention to the importance of e-bike safety by proclaiming a week in January as E-Bike Safety Awareness Week. This year it will be January 19 to 23, 2026.

Here is what we have planned:

On Tuesday, January 20, at 5:30 p.m. the Goleta City Council will issue a proclamation for E- Bike Safety Awareness Week to MOVE Santa Barbara County. Throughout the week, MOVE representatives alongside City staff, Cottage Health, and California Highway Patrol, will be at several local schools conducting E-Bike Safety Awareness outreach activities. Thank you to Goleta Valley Junior High, Dos Pueblos High School, and San Marcos High School for partnering with us to make students more aware of what they need to do to be safe while riding an e-bike.

A great resource for all e-bike riders is the California Highway Patrol’s online e-bike safety and training program required by AB 1946 to provide information on safety, emergency maneuver skills, rules of the road, and laws related to e-bikes. The online program features tutorials, videos, a quiz, and other interactive elements. MOVE will be sharing additional resources with students and community members during outreach activities and on social media. 

Every year there are e-bike related crashes with serious injuries and even fatalities. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), there were more than 9,600 bicycle-involved crashes in California in 2022, 225 of which involved an e-bike (an increase over 80 the prior year) and four of which resulted in fatal injuries.

Steps you can take to make sure you are safe while riding an e-bike include:

• Checking your battery, brakes, chain, and tire pressure before you ride.
• Wearing a helmet and visible clothing whether you are a rider or passenger.
• Watching your speed by riding slowly and respectfully on multi-use paths or where pedestrians are present.
• Riding predictably, using hand signals and keeping eye contact to communicate your movements with other vehicles.
• Avoiding texting, talking on the phone, or listening to loud music while riding.
• Obeying traffic signs, signals, and roadway laws just as cars are required to.

Thanks for doing your part to make sure our e-bike riders are safe.