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JSO Motor Unit Officer Jason Corse emphasized that excessive speed remains a significant contributor to numerous accidents they examine.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — On Saturday morning, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office hosted the S.M.A.R.T. Motorcycle Safety Course at their Police Academy. This event provided an opportunity for riders to collaborate closely with Motor Unit officers, focusing on enhancing their riding proficiency and safety awareness.
In Jacksonville, there have been five motorcyclist fatalities in crashes reported this year, as per JSO statistics.
Officer Corse reiterated that speed is a prevalent issue in many of the incidents they review.
“Reducing speed is crucial,” Corse advised. “In most of these accidents, speed plays a significant role.”
S.M.A.R.T. stands for Street Motorcycle and Riding Techniques. The course pairs riders one-on-one with motor officers and focuses on emergency braking, slow-speed control and hazard avoidance. Participants used their own motorcycles.
Corse said running red lights combined with speeding is another dangerous trend officers see far too often.
“Speed in front of a red light is a bad combination,” Corse said. “That’s why we do the braking escape exercise. It simulates having to stop in a straight line and then avoid an obstacle. Anybody can go fast, but being able to stop that motorcycle in a designated space is what’s important.”
JSO offers the free course 10 times a year and says it’s designed for both new riders and experienced riders looking to sharpen their skills.
One participant, Raymond Alcobendas, said the training is essential after experiencing multiple close calls on the road.
“There have been more close calls than I’d like to say,” Alcobendas said. “Sometimes it’s my fault, sometimes it’s not. That’s why these courses are important — so we know how to handle those emergencies.”
JSO says instructors repeat exercises as many times as needed to ensure riders fully understand how to control their motorcycles in high-risk situations.
“We want them to take something from this course,” Corse said. “If they want more reps, we do it again and again so they can really learn the ins and outs of their machine.”
Saturday’s course was filled to capacity, but riders who missed it can register for the next S.M.A.R.T. Motorcycle Safety Course scheduled for Feb. 28.