San Diego County health officials issued a public health advisory Thursday urging families, physicians and community groups to take e-bike injuries more seriously as emergency visits continue to rise.

According to Times of San Diego, county hospitals recorded 865 emergency department visits and 186 hospitalizations related to e-bike accidents in 2024. County officials are asking medical providers to screen for e-bike use during injury visits and checkups, counsel families on applicable laws and encourage safety training.

County Public Health Officer Dr. Sayone Thihalolipavan said better injury coding could help officials understand the scope of the problem, noting that some e-bike injuries may be misclassified as traditional bicycle injuries. Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer said the county plans safety classes and helmet giveaways.

For Santee families, the advisory is relevant as e-bikes become more common on neighborhood streets, routes to school and shared paths across East County. County officials said many young riders may not know traffic laws, while some e-bikes can travel 20 mph or faster.

The full countywide advisory was reported by Times of San Diego.