JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With school starting in less than a week, Jacksonville-area roads and sidewalks are about to get busier as parents, teachers and students head back to the classroom.
A 2026 national ranking by KURU Footwear placed Jacksonville 34th out of 35 major U.S. cities in pedestrian safety, using pedestrian fatality rates and walkability data. The report lists Jacksonville’s pedestrian fatality rate at 3.05 deaths per 100,000 people and a Walk Score of 26.
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In Duval County Public Schools, leaders say they’re trying to reach kids early — before they’re navigating traffic around campuses on their own.
At what looks like a playground, students are learning in what DCPS calls a “traffic garden,” where children can practice real-world traffic situations — including intersections, crosswalks and turns — in a controlled setting.
Heather Albritton, DCPS director of health and physical education, said traffic gardens are expanding across the district.
“Currently, we have eight traffic gardens around the district, and we have easily eight more schools who are interested this year in putting them in,” Albritton said.
Some of the newest traffic gardens, including the ones at San Mateo Elementary and Ed White, are also open to the public outside school hours, giving families a place to practice together.
DCPS said the gardens are part of a broader push to reduce incidents involving pedestrians and students near schools.
While more families are walking and biking, Albritton said she’s also seeing more children riding e-bikes, e-scooters and electric dirt bikes — devices that can move at speeds far faster than traditional bicycles.
She said families often treat them like toys, even though they function more like motorized vehicles.
“It’s twofold. So think about it when your kid turns 15, they go through a whole year of practicing with you in the car driving, but when we give kids an e-bike or an e-scooter, which is also a motorized vehicle, we are not taking that extra time,” Albritton said.
“That constant reminder and companion of learning… is absent with e-bikes. So it’s very important, and it’s education for not only the kids, but also the parents,” she said.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office has also warned families that many kids are riding vehicles that do not meet Florida’s legal definition of an e-bike.
A bike without pedals is treated like a motorcycle under Florida law and may require registration, lights, a license plate and a motorcycle endorsement — even if a parent purchased it for a child, the SJSO said in a recent News4JAX report.
For some families, the dangers are no longer theoretical.
In Clay County, 14-year-old Carson Farias was killed after he was hit by a teen driver while riding an electric dirt bike. Eight weeks later, his mother, Megan Farias Schrampf, said she hopes Carson’s story makes other families slow down and take safety seriously.
“Just pay attention because my Carson should be here right now,” she said.
She also urged drivers to watch for kids on bikes and e-bikes.
“I just hope that people can be aware and respectful of the bicycles and e-bikes. Whether you like bicyclists and e-bikes or not, still respect them, and please be cautious,” she said.
As students head back to school, DCPS is encouraging families to remember three words: plan, practice and protect.
- Plan your route: Choose the safest way to school.
- Practice the route with your child: Walk or ride it together so kids know what to expect.
- Protect your child with safety gear: Use a properly fitted helmet and consider added visibility like reflective gear. For some riders, pads may also be appropriate.
DCPS leaders say having a plan in place helps keep students and everyone sharing the road safer as the school year begins.