Bicycle and E-Bike Accidents in Redondo Beach: What Injured Riders Should Know
By Jon Olsson, Attorney | Updated October 2026
This guide explains what to do after a Redondo Beach bicycle accident, on a traditional bike or an e-bike.
E-bikes are now part of everyday life in the Beach Cities. They share the Strand with walkers and beach cruisers. They ride alongside traffic on Pacific Coast Highway and carry students to school. In March 2023, e-bikes made up 66% of the bicycles on Beach Cities middle and high school campuses, according to Beach Cities Health District.
Someone else’s carelessness usually causes e-bike injuries. It might be a driver who turns across a bike lane or a passenger who opens a car door into traffic. It might be another rider speeding on a crowded path, or a road or path that no one kept safe. Those are negligence claims, and they are the focus of this guide. Less often, the bike itself fails. That raises a different kind of claim, product liability, which we explain below.
As a Redondo Beach bicycle accident lawyer, Jon Olsson brings an unusual perspective to these cases. Before he represented injured people, he spent years defending major corporations at a leading international law firm. That complex litigation included serious injury and product liability cases. He knows how defense lawyers look for ways to shift blame onto a rider. He builds e-bike cases with those arguments in mind from day one.
Redondo Beach Bicycle Accident Statistics
State crash data shows Redondo Beach is one of the riskier California cities for bicyclists. The California Office of Traffic Safety compares cities of 50,001 to 100,000 people. Its rankings use crash reports, population, and miles traveled, and a rank of 1 is the worst (how the rankings work). In 2023, the most recent year OTS has published, Redondo Beach crashes killed or injured 32 bicyclists. That ranked the city 6th worst of 103 similar-sized California cities.
| Year | Bicyclists killed or injured | OTS rank (1 = worst) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 32 | 6 of 103 |
| 2022 | 41 | 5 of 104 |
| 2021 | 35 | 7 of 105 |
| 2020 | 22 | 7 of 106 |
| 2019 | 20 | 21 of 105 |
| 2018 | 31 | 13 of 102 |
| 2017 | 29 | 19 of 106 |
These figures cover all bicyclists, not only e-bike riders, and only reported crashes. Many bike crashes, especially on the beach path, never produce a police report. That’s one more reason to document a crash carefully.
When Someone Else’s Carelessness Causes an E-Bike Crash
A legal e-bike is not a motor vehicle under California law. Its rider has the same right as any cyclist to recover from a driver or anyone else whose carelessness caused a crash. A negligence claim requires two things. The other person failed to use reasonable care, and that failure caused the injuries. Here are some common situations.
Drivers turning across a rider’s path
Right hooks happen when a driver passes a rider and then turns right across the bike lane. Left crosses happen when an oncoming driver turns left without seeing the rider. Drivers in these crashes often say they did not see the e-bike or misjudged how fast it was coming. That explanation is common. But a driver’s duty to look for cyclists before turning applies whether or not the bike has a motor. And misjudging a rider’s speed doesn’t shift the blame to a rider who was riding lawfully.
Unsafe passing
California requires drivers to give a bicycle at least three feet when passing. When there is another lane going the same direction, the driver must change lanes to pass if it is practicable and not prohibited. If three feet is not possible, the driver must slow down and pass only when it will not endanger the rider. Crashes caused by drivers squeezing past riders on narrow beach-city streets often turn on this rule.
Dooring
A “dooring” happens when someone in a parked or stopped car opens a door into a rider’s path. California law puts the duty on the person opening the door. No one may open a door on the traffic side of a vehicle unless it’s reasonably safe and won’t interfere with moving traffic. That rule applies to passengers as well as drivers. Hermosa Avenue, Pier Avenue, and PCH all have heavy street parking, rideshare drop-offs, and delivery stops, which raise the risk of dooring. Who opened the door, and how the driver was using the car at the time, can determine which insurance policy applies.
Other riders on the Strand and the beach path
Many crashes on the Strand and the beach bike path involve no car at all. A fast rider passes too closely. A rider hits a pedestrian stepping onto the path. Or an e-bike moves well above the speed of everyone around it. In Hermosa Beach, e-bike riders must turn off the motor on the Strand, and the Strand has an 8 mph limit, according to Beach Cities Health District. Since 2024, Hermosa has also required rental e-bikes to use geofencing that shuts off the motor on the Strand, Pier Plaza, and the Greenbelt. In Manhattan Beach, a city ordinance bans bicycles and e-bikes on the Strand. It also limits riders on the Marvin Braude Bike Trail to 15 miles per hour and keeps a walk-only zone on both sides of the pier. A rider who breaks these rules and causes a crash can be responsible for the injuries.
The practical problem in these cases is insurance. E-bike riders in California don’t need a driver’s license or registration. They also aren’t subject to the financial responsibility rules that apply to drivers. So an at-fault rider may have no insurance that covers the crash. Their homeowners, renters, or umbrella policy might apply, but many policies exclude e-bikes, and coverage depends on the exact policy wording. That’s why it matters to identify the other rider and get their policy information early.
Dangerous roads and paths
Sometimes the road or path itself causes the crash: sand, cracked concrete, raised seams, potholes, or a poorly designed intersection. The beach path is part of the Marvin Braude Bike Trail, a 22-mile paved path from Will Rogers State Beach to Torrance Beach. L.A. County Public Works maintains most of it. The exception is the stretch from First Avenue in Hermosa Beach to the southern end of the Redondo Beach Pier. So one of the first things to check is which agency is responsible for the exact spot of the crash. Claims against a city, county, or other public entity generally require a written claim within six months.
Where E-Bike Crashes Happen in the Beach Cities
Pacific Coast Highway carries heavy traffic through Redondo, Hermosa, and Manhattan Beach. Drivers turn often into shopping centers, parking lots, and side streets. One risk there is a driver who turns across a rider’s path, or pulls out without seeing an e-bike coming faster than a regular bike would.
Neighborhood and commercial streets such as Hermosa Avenue and Pier Avenue mix parked cars, delivery trucks, and pedestrians. That creates door-zone hazards and tight passing situations. In Redondo Beach, state bike and e-bike rules apply on city streets, and the city bans sidewalk riding where signs say so. In 2022, the City Council called for adding those signs on sidewalks around Redondo Union High School.
School routes bring many young riders onto busy streets. Redondo Beach police issued 135 e-bike citations between February and early August 2024. The most common reasons were running stop signs, riders under 18 without helmets, and carrying passengers illegally.
How the Other Side Defends E-Bike Claims, and How We Respond
From his years on the defense side, Jon knows what the other side looks at first when an e-bike rider makes a claim. First, what is the bike? They check its class, its motor rating, and whether anyone modified it to go faster than the law allows. Then they look at the rider. Was the rider wearing a helmet, carrying a passenger, riding at night without a light, or riding too close to parked cars? Each of these becomes an argument that the rider shares the blame.
We would rather have those answers before the other side raises them. Early in a case, we document the bike’s class and condition and photograph the scene and the lane markings. We track down witnesses and video before anyone records over it. We also gather medical records that connect each injury to the crash. When the facts show the rider was riding lawfully, that work takes the other side’s best arguments off the table.
When the E-Bike Itself Fails: How Product Claims Differ
Everything above is about claims against someone who was careless. That could be a driver, a passenger, another rider, or the agency responsible for a road. But sometimes nobody was careless and the bike simply failed. The battery catches fire, the brakes give out on a hill, the throttle sticks, or the fork snaps. Then the claim is against a company instead: the business that made, distributed, or sold the bike or the faulty part. Lawyers call that a product liability claim.
The biggest difference is what you have to prove. In a claim against a driver, you have to show the driver was careless. In a product claim, you generally do not have to show the company was careless. You have to show that the bike or part was defective and that the defect was a substantial factor in causing your injury.
| Claim against a driver or rider | Claim against an e-bike company | |
|---|---|---|
| Who the claim is against | The person who caused the crash | The company that made, distributed, or sold the bike or part |
| What you have to prove | They were careless, and it caused your injury | The bike or part was defective, and the defect caused your injury |
| Most important evidence | Police report, witnesses, video, photos of the scene | The bike, battery, and charger themselves, plus purchase records |
| Who usually pays | If a car caused the crash, the driver’s auto insurance. If another rider caused it, possibly their homeowners, renters, or umbrella policy, depending on the policy wording. | The company’s business insurance |
Three Types of Product Defects
A bike can be defective in three ways:
- Built wrong. Your bike or battery left the factory different from its design, such as with a bad weld or a faulty battery cell. This is a manufacturing defect.
- Designed wrong. Every bike of that model has the same problem, such as brakes too weak for the bike’s weight and speed. This is a design defect.
- Missing a needed warning. The company didn’t warn about a danger an ordinary rider wouldn’t know about, like how to charge the battery safely. This is a failure to warn.
Batteries are getting the most attention. Since January 1, 2026, no one in California can sell or lease an e-bike unless an accredited laboratory has tested its battery. The testing must follow a recognized safety standard, such as UL 2849 or EN 15194.
Why You Should Keep the Bike
Jon has seen these cases from the other side. When a company defends one of these cases, it usually starts by inspecting the product. It looks for a reason to blame the rider, such as a modification, an aftermarket battery, or poor maintenance. So the most important thing you can do is keep the bike, battery, and charger exactly as they are after the crash. Don’t let a shop, seller, or insurance company take them.
One crash can involve both kinds of claims. Say a driver cuts you off and your brakes fail to stop you in time. The driver and the bike company may each be responsible for part of your injuries.
California E-Bike Rules That Can Affect Your Claim
Under California law, an e-bike has working pedals and a motor of 750 watts or less. It falls into one of three classes:
| Class | How the motor works | Motor stops assisting at |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Pedal-assist only | 20 mph |
| Class 2 | Throttle (can move the bike without pedaling) | 20 mph |
| Class 3 | Pedal-assist only, with a required speedometer | 28 mph |
Riders under 18 must wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet. On a Class 3 e-bike, every rider and passenger must wear one, and no one under 16 may operate it. As of 2026, e-bikes must also show a red rear reflector or a red light at all times while riding. A solid or flashing red light must have a built-in reflector.
Breaking one of these rules does not automatically end an injury claim. California uses comparative fault. A rider’s share of responsibility reduces their compensation rather than eliminating it. A missing helmet, for example, may affect a claim for a head injury but not necessarily a claim for a broken wrist.
What to Do After an E-Bike Crash
- Get medical care. Head, shoulder, wrist, and hip injuries are common in bike crashes. Symptoms of a brain injury may not appear right away.
- Call the police if the crash involved a vehicle. A report helps identify the driver and their insurance company.
- Photograph the scene. Include the vehicle’s position, the open door if someone doored you, lane markings, and any road or path defect.
- Get names and contact information for the other rider or driver, any passengers, and witnesses.
- Note nearby cameras. Businesses, parking lots, and homes along the Strand and PCH often have video, but their systems may record over it.
- Keep the bike, battery, charger, and helmet as they are. Do not repair, discard, or return them. If the battery shows damage, store it safely away from your home and don’t charge it.
- Be careful with insurers. Talk with a lawyer before giving a recorded statement to the other side’s insurance company or signing a release.
- Watch the deadlines. You generally have two years to file most California personal injury lawsuits. Claims against a public agency generally require a written claim within six months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover compensation if I was riding an e-bike?
Yes. A legal e-bike rider has the same right as any cyclist to recover from a careless driver or other responsible party. If someone modified the bike beyond legal limits or the rider broke a traffic rule, the other side may argue shared fault. That can reduce a recovery, but it usually doesn’t eliminate it.
What if I wasn’t wearing a helmet?
You can still bring a claim. The insurer may argue that a helmet would have reduced a head injury, but that argument affects the amount of compensation, not whether you can bring a claim at all.
Who pays if another rider hit me on the Strand?
Usually the at-fault rider. E-bike riders don’t have to carry insurance. Their homeowners, renters, or umbrella policy might cover the crash, but many policies exclude e-bikes. Identify the rider and get their policy information early.
Can I bring a claim against the city for a dangerous path or road?
Possibly, if the agency responsible for that stretch knew or should have known about the dangerous condition and failed to fix it. You generally must present a written government claim within six months.
What if a driver hit me and my e-bike also failed?
Both the driver and the companies responsible for the bike may share responsibility. Investigating both at once helps make sure we don’t miss any source of recovery.
Talk to a Redondo Beach Bicycle Accident Lawyer
The evidence in an e-bike case disappears fast. Cameras record over video, and bikes go in for repairs. You work directly with Jon. He starts with the same questions the other side asks first: what kind of bike it is, who was at fault, whether the bike failed, and which insurance policies may pay.
Hurt in a bike or e-bike crash in Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, or elsewhere in the South Bay? Read more about how we handle bicycle and e-bike accident cases.
Contact Olsson Law for a free consultation.
No Attorney’s Fee Unless We Recover
This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this article or contacting Olsson Law does not, by itself, create an attorney-client relationship. Every case depends on its particular facts and applicable law.
By Jon Olsson
Founder, Olsson Law, PC
Attorney admitted in California, Massachusetts, and Texas. Practicing law since 2017.
Before founding Olsson Law, he defended major corporations at a leading international law firm.