Florida traffic laws
Driving on a learner’s permit is allowed in Florida but if this permit is less than three-months old, it’s only permitted to drive during daylight hours. After this time of day, such learner drivers can only driver with a licensed driver above the age of 21 in the passenger seat. These rules are according to driving laws in Florida but what else should you know? In this article, we cover some of the basic traffic laws in Florida.
What Traffic Laws You Should Know about in Florida
Read more: Florida driver’s license
While this is not an extensive or full list, here are some of the most common traffic laws that result in fines and penalties when it comes to traffic laws in Florida:
Seat belt
All front seat occupants must wear a seat belt and children under the age of four must use a child car seat. It’s also illegal to drive in the state of Florida is any occupant under the age of eighteen is not wearing a seat belt.
Headlights
The headlights on your vehicle should be always turned on between dusk and dawn.
Mobile phone use
It’s illegal to text and drive in California and while no talking bans exist, it’s recommended to at least use a hands-free system for any phone calls.
Speed Limit
The speed limit is 30mph in residential or business districts unless otherwise posted. On interstate or highways, unless otherwise stated, the default speed limit is 55mph. Be aware that you can also receive a ticket for driving too slow and it’s necessary to drive with the flow of traffic.
Read more: Penalty for expired tags in Florida
Stopped Police Vehicles
If you encounter police vehicles on a road or interstate, you must move into the furthest lane away from these vehicles. When you are unable to move over, it’s necessary to slow down to below 20mph while passing these same vehicles. This law is subject to fines when broken and for the purpose of police safety.
Turning Right on Red
Florida allows vehicles to make a right turn on red but you must come to a full stop and check for pedestrians (and yield to them) before making that turn. This rule does not apply to red arrows at which vehicles must not turn right.
Read more: Florida Vehicle Registration Renewal
Road Tolls
Many interstate highways in Florida have tolls such as the Florida Turnpike and the Bee Line Expressway. The fee for such tolls depends on which part of the road you might be using, and you should see this amount displayed next to the booth while passing through the toll. It’s payable in either cash or via card.
Joining Interstates/Highways
A driver must increase speed gradually when merging with an interstate/highway before safely signaling and merging with the existing traffic.
Tailgating
It’s necessary to keep at least one length of a vehicle between you and the vehicle in front.
Rolling Stop
The vehicle must come to a full stop when slowing down for a stop sign or red light. In other words, some vehicles slow down and then increase speed without stopping which an illegal move under the traffic laws of Florida.
Move Over Law
If driving on a two-lane road in Florida, you must slow down to 20 miles per hour below the speed limit. If the speed limit is 20mph, it’s necessary to reduce speed until below 5mph. This is called the “Move Over Law”.
It should go without saying that these are just some of the most common laws for driving in Florida. That said, the above information should help you avoid some of the most common ways in which drivers break the rules and ensure you have a much better chance of staying on the right side of the law.
