Santa Cruz County launches new programs for E-Bikes and a multi-agency traffic safety campaign
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) -- The Santa Cruz CHP announced Thursday that it is launching a new program called Operation Safe Pedal (O.S.P.) in an effort to raise awareness around driving E-bikes safely.
This new program comes as a response to E-bike accidents throughout the county. The CHP says that this year's E-bike accidents have surged over last years' numbers by 177% (50 accidents total). They said this was an increase from 2023's 18 crashes.
O.S.P. will provide E-bike safety awareness through community outreach, school presentations, social media and enforcement efforts.
“We are focused on reducing the number of E-Bike collisions and will utilize education, enforcement, and collaboration with the public and our allied agencies to prevent these incidents," said Captain Grimm, Commander of the CHP Santa Cruz Area office. "Safety is a shared responsibility, and together, we can make a difference in our community.”
The CHP is also urging people looking to purchase E-Bikes as a gift, to visit their CHP’s Bike and Pedestrian Safety page at https://www.chp.ca.gov/Bike-and-Ped-Safety and complete the E-Bike safety training program.
In addition to E-Bike-related safety efforts, other county agencies are trying to bring safe driving back to the streets.
The Santa Cruz, Capitola, Watsonville and Scotts Valley Police Department, along with the California Highway Patrol are all involved in the new B.A.D.G.E.S. (Before Aggressive Drivers Get Everyone Stopped) program announced Thursday.
This program, according to Santa Cruz Police, is aimed at awareness efforts in "troubled areas" throughout Santa Cruz County.
They announced Thursday that Santa Cruz Police made over 65 enforcement stops with 60 traffic citations for a variety of violations. They focused on moving violations, school zones and bicycle/E-Bike violations, according to police.
Officers also said that this "multi-agency saturation deployment" will continue in Santa Cruz County throughout 2025.
