JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two motorcyclists died in separate crashes just hours apart Sunday night in Jacksonville, marking the city’s 28th and 29th motorcycle fatalities this year and continuing an alarming upward trend in deadly crashes.
A man in his late 50s died on Atlantic Boulevard when a teenage driver in a Honda turned into his path, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
In a separate incident about an hour later, a man in his 20s died on Girvin Road when he failed to navigate a curve, lost control and struck a median curb, investigators said.
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As of Monday, there have been 113 deadly traffic crashes in Duval County, including a separate deadly crash involving a car.
Twenty-nine of those crashes involved motorcycles, according to JSO.
Just eight months into 2024, JSO reported 16 motorcycle deaths in Duval County.
Now, JSO said the city is on track to see more motorcycle deaths than last year.
“Wow, that’s a shocking statistic,” News4JAX Crime and Safety Analyst said. “So, you figure in a few more months in the rest of the year, and we are just going to blow that number off the page.”
The staggering numbers were frustrating to Hackney since he said these deaths are preventable.
JSO recommended that riders wear the right gear, slow down, watch the road surface, brake smoothly, and take a safety course, and that drivers share the road by looking twice for motorcycles, giving them space, being cautious when turning, and staying focused.