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Charged and Dangerous | The Ride to Safety, Powered by Community

This documentary investigates the rising dangers of electric bike use among teenagers, focusing on a sharp increase in serious accidents and life-threatening injuries. It reveals how many of these incidents resemble motorcycle crashes, with high speeds and lack of regulation contributing to traumatic brain injuries and fatalities, prompting calls for stricter safety measures and new local legislation. At the same time, it highlights how medical professionals and local officials are uniting to confront the issue—coming together as a community to push for stronger protections to fight a problem that affects everyone.

  • Tobin James Rivera
    Director
  • Marcello Zef Cicin-Sain
    Producer
  • The Redwood Bark
    Publication
  • Mary Sackett
    Key Cast
    "President, Marin County Board of Supervisors – District 1 Supervisor"
  • Talia Smith
    Key Cast
    "Director of Legislative & Intergovernmental Affairs, County of Marin"
  • Dr. John Maa
    Key Cast
    "General & Trauma Surgeon, MarinHealth Medical Center"
  • Liam Colon
    Key Cast
    "Biker"
  • Theo Pearcy
    Additional Equipment
  • Epidemic Sound
    Sources
    Licensed Music and Sound Effects
  • Blackmagic Design Fairlight Sound Library
    Sources
    Additional Sound Effects
  • ABC7 News Bay Area
    Sources
    “Marin Co. could be 1st in CA to prohibit kids under 16 years old from riding Class 2 e-bikes,” March 23, 2025
  • Digital Democracy
    Sources
    “Senate Standing Committee on Transportation,” May 28, 2024
  • Patch. Susan C. Schena
    Sources
    “Marin Pedestrian Who Died After E-Bike Collision,” September 19, 2022
  • Marin Independent Journal. Macdonald, Cameron
    Sources
    “Marin teen testifies on e-bike safety before state senators.” June 1, 2024
  • Marin Health & Human Services
    Sources
    “Marin County Bicycle Accident Overview”
  • Robert William Smith
    Sources
    “A fractured pelvis bone.” Line block print, 1862. Courtesy of the Wellcome Collection. Licensed under Creative Commons
  • Assemblymember Damon Connolly (@AsmConnolly)
    Sources
    Photo sourced from X post. Originally posted on April 29, 2024.
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Investigative
  • Runtime:
    3 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    September 5, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Redwood High School
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Tobin James Rivera

Tobin Rivera is a senior at Redwood High School and serves as a video editor for The Redwood Bark. He enjoys writing, engaging with his local community, and spending time with friends. Beyond journalism, Tobin is passionate about filmmaking, photography, and creative storytelling.

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Director Statement

It was so much fun to work on this film. It was an issue within our community that I felt more people should be aware of. I'm thankful to everyone who participated in this project for sharing their insight, as well as to the Redwood Bark for providing a platform for me to create it.