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Mar. 2, 2026

Parental liability in the e-bike era: Classification law, enforcement and litigation risk

California's recent e-bike laws read as a buyer-beware cautionary tale: Once a device is "out-of-class," it is a motor vehicle--not a bike--triggering impoundment, forfeiture and liability for parents

Lem Garcia

Attorney and Founder
Lem Garcia Law

Personal Injury

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Parental liability in the e-bike era: Classification law, enforcement and litigation risk
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California's recent e-bike laws read like a buyer-beware cautionary tale: new e-bike classifications trigger liability--thus, parents and counsel must know that "out-of-class" devices are motor vehicles, not bikes. 

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