Pacific Beach schools make push for electric bike safety

Friends of Pacific Beach Secondary Schools (FOPBSS) provided an electric bike education and safety seminar for students and parents at Mission Bay High School on Jan. 31. The program, which was also open to the community at large, was made possible by a grant from the San Diego Association of Governments and in coordination with Scripps Injury Prevention, the San Diego Police Department, and the San Diego Bike Coalition.

The number of students who ride e-bikes within Pacific Beach has increased significantly over the last year. It is estimated that up to 60 students at Pacific Beach Middle School and 70 students at MBHS use e-bikes or non-motorized bikes to commute to school on any given day.

While e-bikes offer students greater independence and reduce car traffic, they also come with increased risk. According to Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego Trauma Center, the number of trauma cases related to e-bikes is on the rise. Pedestrian and cyclist road collisions are also increasing. With this information in mind, parents and residents of Pacific Beach expressed a need for better education among both e-bike and non-motorized bike riders, as well as automotive drivers, to keep everyone safe on the road.

“The number of students riding e-bikes and non-motorized bikes is increasing every year,” said Mission Bay High associate principal Allison West. “I think e-bikes are a great form of transportation and great for the environment, but safety is a big concern. Classes like these are important so that student riders and parent drivers know how to stay safe on the roads – especially during the hectic morning commutes.”

Another e-bike safety seminar will be held at PBMS on Wednesday, March 1, from 6-8 p.m. Middle and high school students and community members from the greater San Diego area are encouraged to register for the event https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=r_OvopyyPEmuj7ixqOhHgog60q6c5bROhSIm9IVRnrhUNkg0Tjk1T0VDUDJTVDUyOFROUjY5UVU3SS4u 

Friends of Pacific Beach Secondary Schools is a joint Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and nonprofit corporation for both PBMS and MBHS. The FOPBSS board of directors consists of teachers, principals, and parents from both schools. For more information on FOPBSS or to make a donation, visit www.fopbss.org.