JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office hosted its Safe Motorcycle and Rider Techniques (S.M.A.R.T) Motorcycle Safety Course to help riders improve their skills and stay safe on the roads Saturday morning.
Instructors worked one-on-one with motorcyclists, guiding them through exercises designed to build better riding habits.
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“We do about 10 classes per year that are completely free to you after you register,” JSO officer Jason Corse said. “We do braking exercises, curb negotiation, and even slow speed exercises.”
Corse says the participants range from dirt bike to Harley riders, and new to experienced riders.
Recent tragedies, however, underscored the need for such training.
A motorcyclist died in a crash Thursday morning at Soutel Drive and New Kings Road after hitting the rear of a car turning left. This was the third deadly crash involving a motorcycle or mini bike crash in Jacksonville this week alone.
According to JSO, 44 people lost their lives in motorcycle accidents in 2025. So far this year, there have already been five fatal motorcycle crashes.
“Further training is definitely needed to be as safe as you possibly can on the road,” Motorcyclist Raymund Alcobendas said. “There’s been a lot of motorcycle deaths, a lot of motorcycle accidents, so I think further training really gets us a lot better trained with our motorcycles so that we can properly control them and then be more competent out on the road.”
Corse also urged drivers to be aware of motorcycles.
“Look for those lights,” Corse said. “A lot of times, the lights will be in a more confined space in terms of what you can see as they’re approaching you. Give them space.”
Nine more classes are scheduled on JSO’s website, with the next one taking place on February 28. The classes are free but require registration with a valid driver’s license, motorcycle endorsement and a signed waiver.