Two Whittier kids under the age of 14 were involved in a collision with a vehicle, and police say one of them suffered what they are calling catastrophic injuries. In the aftermath, officers impounded two electric motorcycles and warned that they plan to keep cracking down on illegal e-moto use to protect local streets and neighborhoods.
What the Department Posted
In a post on the Whittier Police Department Facebook page on Wednesday, the department said the crash involved two children under 14 and that one child sustained “catastrophic injuries.” The post noted that officers impounded two electric motorcycles on March 10 and warned that many of these high-powered machines are being ridden without proper safety gear, licensing, or age-appropriate supervision.
The department urged parents to have frank conversations with their kids about what they are riding and where they are riding it, and emphasized that officers will keep enforcing existing laws in an effort to protect local neighborhoods.
State Law Now Treats Many E‑Motos as Off‑Highway Vehicles
State officials have also been trying to catch up with the rapid spread of fast electric two-wheelers. California clarified the legal status of many of these bikes with Senate Bill 586, which added a formal definition for “off-highway electric motorcycles” and took effect on Jan. 1, 2026, according to a California State Parks bulletin…