In a growing number of communities, parents are being held responsible by authorities when their children are involved in serious accidents involving electric motorcycles.
Videos of the practice often appear on social media, showing groups of children illegally riding electric motorcycles, often performing dangerous stunts on busy roads.
In California, it is illegal for children under 16 to ride electric motorcycles, which have more powerful motors than electric bikes.
In Southern California, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer has attempted to quell this growing problem, make accusations this year against 12 parents accused of letting their children illegally drive electric motorcycles.
“I need to send a message to save other children’s lives and make sure other parents take responsibility for their children,” Spitzer told CBS News.
Among the accused were the mother and father of 13-year-old Benson Nguyen, who posted videos of himself on his TikTok channel performing risky tricks.
In May, police said Nguyen was recklessly riding his electric motorcycle at more than 40 miles per hour in the Orange County town of Garden Grove when he lost control and crashed into a light pole. He was transported to an area hospital, where he died from his injuries. Nguyen’s parents were charged with child endangerment.
Spitzer said he didn’t want to sue the parents, but felt he had to.
“I’m a human being. I raised two kids,” Spitzer said. “We need to understand that when you break the law, no matter how bad it is, there have to be consequences.”
According to figures from the Orange County DA, there have been more than 125 deaths and tens of thousands of injuries attributed to electric bicycles and motorcycles in the United States.
In Orange County, they are now the leading cause of emergency room visits for juveniles, the district attorney’s office said.
“You should not provide your child with a gun without understanding what they could do with that gun,” Spitzer said. “And you certainly shouldn’t provide a vehicle like an electric bicycle or motorcycle.”
Gn usa
