Orcutt Union School District Bans E-Bikes For Upcoming School Year

ORCUTT, California. (KEYT) - Orcutt Union School District is banning e-bikes for elementary and junior high students and restricting their use for higher schoolers.

The new policies are going into effect just as summer comes to a close and school gears back up.

E-bikes are continuing to see a rapid acceleration in their popularity and sales.

Injuries from e-bike incidents and resulting visits to the emergency room have also accelerated, in tandem.

Physicians at Marian Regional Medical Center say injuries caused by powered mobility devices including e-bikes and e-motos are one of the leading causes of trauma cases.

Experts say in comparison to standard bicycle accidents, injuries tend to be significantly more severe with e-bikes due to the high speeds they can reach.

Many of those injuries include head trauma and brain injuries, especially if a helmet was not worn.

Due to the severity of these risks and related concerns, Orcutt Union School District has fully banned all powered mobility devices for elementary and junior high school students for the 2026-2027 year.

High school students must take training courses and have approval to ride an e-bike to and from school, but they must walk it on and off campus and keep it locked in designated areas.

Additionally, riding powered mobility devices is now strictly prohibited on all campuses at any time of day or night.

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