Month: August 2026

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

Doctors at Marian Medical Center think that will cut down on E.R. visits.

The popularity of e-bikes is accelerating.

But injuries from e-bike incidents are rising in tandem.

“Not only are we seeing a rise in the increase in injuries from the e-bikes, but also the percentage of those injuries is higher in the 16 and under category in the last couple of years, which is pretty significant,” says Bette Jenkins B.S.N., Trauma Program director at Marian Regional Medical Center.

Doctors at Marian Regional Medical Center say injuries caused by e-bikes and e-motos are now one of the leading causes of trauma cases.

“On top of that, recently, we’re seeing many of those that are severely injured are not wearing helmets,” says Jenkins.

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.

“They’re also very heavy, the e-bikes,” says Jenkins. “So they do cause more significant injuries.”

The risks have led Orcutt Union School District to fully ban what are called powered mobility devices for elementary and junior high school students.

“We call them powered mobility devices because there are several different devices within that,” says Sandra Knight, Assistant Superintendent at Orcutt Union School District. “Any type of motor, electric engine, anything like that, that is not allowed.”

High school students must now take training courses and get approval to ride an e-bike to and from school.

“For the high school kids, the only thing that are allowed are e-bikes,” says Knight. “No scooters, anything like that. Our overall concern is just the general health and safety of our students, our seventh graders are going to be on campus tomorrow. All of our other students start on Monday.”

And high school students have to walk their e-bikes on campus, not ride them.

“Now is the time to be more aware of bikes on the road, kids on the road, pedestrians on the road,” says Jenkins. “And I can’t say it enough times. If you’re going to ride these, you need to wear a helmet. No one is ever too old to wear a helmet.”

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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Direct Relief is sending emergency medical aid to help healthcare providers and communities impacted by the Spokane wildfire.

The nonprofit is coordinating with local partners to deliver essential medical supplies and other emergency resources to areas affected by the fast-moving fire.

The response is designed to help hospitals, clinics and first responders continue caring for patients as wildfire conditions strain local healthcare services.

Direct Relief regularly mobilizes during disasters, providing medical assistance to communities facing emergencies across the United States and around the world.

As firefighting efforts continue, the organization plans to adapt its response based on conditions and the needs identified by healthcare partners on the ground.