A free road safety course combining classroom learning with observed rides alongside Roads Policing officers is now open to young motorcyclists in Southampton. The SmartRide programme, funded by Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones, aims to give teenage scooter and motorbike riders skills beyond the standard compulsory basic training.
The first session ran on Sunday 28 June and every rider who gave feedback said they felt safer on the roads afterwards. One participant described how the instructors made you feel at ease with no pressure, while others noted the content covered areas not touched during their CBT. Acting Inspector Tom Waller of the Roads Policing Unit said inexperience and compromised decision making are common causes of collisions involving young motorcyclists. “This course is completely free and will give young riders the tools they need to safely use our roads.”
The next course takes place on Saturday 18 July, with places bookable through the force’s official form. Donna Jones urged parents whose teenagers ride a scooter or motorbike to sign up, describing young riders as far more at risk and too many families left dealing with heartbreaking loss. “SmartRide is about giving young riders an extra layer of knowledge and protection,” she said.
Roads Policing officers deliver every session, bringing frontline experience of real road conditions to both the classroom and the supervised ride. Acting Inspector Waller stressed that education is a huge part of preventing deaths on the road, adding that the course will prepare young people with skills they can use for the rest of their lives.
The programme operates across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, including Southampton, as a response to the disproportionate number of young riders involved in collisions. It supplements existing police-led offerings such as BikeSafe workshops by targeting the youngest cohort just as they begin riding independently.
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