The Path to E-Bike Safety is Paved in Blood
Death of 81-Year-Old Veteran Prompts Bestselling Author and founder of the Bellemont Project to Call for End to Reactive E-Bike Safety Policies
As the nation mourns the death of 81-year-old Ed Ashman, a Vietnam veteran and beloved teacher fatally struck, allegedly, by a 14-year-old on an illegal e-moto, a core resource from the Bellemont Project has moved to the center of the crisis. The Caring Parent’s E-Bike Survival Guide, Second Edition, authored by interdisciplinary safety professional Beth Black, secured Amazon’s #1 Ranking in Consumer Guides, Parenting Reference, and Education Reference as communities scramble for solutions.
The death of Mr. Ashman in Lake Forest, CA, has laid bare a grim reality: across the country, the path to safety is being paved in blood. While state and local governments have followed historical precedent, waiting for high body counts before implementing strategic policy, infrastructure or informed enforcement changes, the rise of high-speed, unregulated e-motos (electric dirt bikes or other non-compliant electric motorcycles) marketed to minors has created a crisis that municipal speed limits alone cannot solve.
We have to stop waiting for a tragedy to justify a strategy,” says Beth Black, founder of the Bellemont Project. “Enforcement alone is not a solution; it is a symptom of a failed reactive policy. Families are being handed loaded weapons disguised as e-bikes, and yet our cities offer no professional behavior management to intervene before injuries and deaths occur. We don’t need more tickets after the fact; we need the Six-Point Plan, the Incline Program and the book for parents before the next collision.”
The Failure of Inaction
Beth Black’s Incline Program serves as a critical diversion tool for law enforcement and school districts. It moves beyond the rules-of-the-road teaching model, using adolescent psychology and the “Mentor Mindset” presented by Dr. David Yeager to rewire how young riders perceive risk.
“This tragedy was preventable,” Black adds. “If these teens and their parents had been diverted into a program that addresses the psychology of how influencers are selling teens high-risk outlaw mentality, Ed Ashman might still be alive today.”
Expert Endorsements on the Book
“In the realm of injury prevention, Beth Black’s work is revolutionary. It is a must-read for parents navigating the crossfire of teen behavior and misleading marketing,” says Gwen Froh, Program Director for Marin Safe Routes to Schools.
Paige Colburn-Hargis, an injury prevention professional and founder of MyGreyMatterz.org, adds: “As someone in the trauma field, I see the urgent need for this guide. It equips families with the tools to have conversations that actually resonate with teens — preventing injuries before they reach the ER.”
Take Action: Help Bring the Path to Safety to Your Community
We cannot wait for another tragedy to spark a conversation. If you are a parent, educator, or concerned resident, you have the power to help your local leaders move from reactive tickets to proactive solutions.
Are you ready to be the catalyst for change?
Contact the Bellemont Project today to learn how you can:
