JUPITER, Fla. — Jupiter police are hoping riders will log on to make roads safer for everyone as campuses prepare for increased traffic.
The Jupiter Police Department launched a free online e-bike safety course open to everyone, regardless of age or where they live. The 45-minute course covers the basics of e-bike operation and road safety.
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"Our end goal is to get those who are going to ride bikes to do so safely and in a way that doesn't endanger themselves or others," Chief Don Hennessy said.
Hennessy said his department developed the course from the ground up.
"From the nomenclature of an e-bike, how they work. What a rider can expect from the bike itself. How to ride safely in intersections," he said.
To encourage participation, five $100 Amazon gift cards will be raffled off among those who complete the course by Sept. 15.
I asked Hennessy whether completing the course would benefit a young rider who is pulled over for an e-bike violation.
"It would help to let the officer know you've taken it," Hennessy said. "It won't have any impact on the enforcement of it, because the other side is you've taken our program, we've taught you the things, now you should know how to properly ride."
Flyers for the course are on display at Real Deal Bikes in Jupiter, where owner Rudy Robaina said e-bikes are not going away.
"As with cars or any other vehicle you just got to do it safely and legally and everything should be fine I think," Robaina said.
We have reported on the safety issues surrounding e-bikes, noting that while vehicle deaths in 2025 in Palm Beach County hit a six-year low, e-bike and e-scooter deaths reached a peak during the same time frame.
When asked whether Jupiter is considering any e-bike ordinances, Hennessy said the department is still weighing its options.
"We're still evaluating those measures," Hennessy said. We're looking at neighboring jurisdictions to see what they're putting in place to come up with a cohesive solution."
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