Latest news with #FloridaHighwaySafetyandMotorVehicles
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Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Is there an age limit for drivers? What Florida law says about teens and seniors
Does Florida have an age limit for driving? The question comes up time to time, especially after crashes involving teens and senior citizens. Here's what to know about rules related to age: Younger drivers in Florida Learner's permit: The state issues learner permits to drivers if they are at least 15 years old. A parental consent form is required for anyone under 18. To get a learner's permit, a future driver must pass a traffic law exam and vision and hearing tests, according to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. A learner's license requires a licensed driver 21 or older to be the vehicle and also restricts driving to daylight hours for the first three months. Driver's license: The minimum age for a full driver's license is 16. To get a license at that age, a driver is required to have had a learner's permit for a year and pass a driving test, according to the Florida agency. There are some driving time restrictions in place until a licensed driver turns 18. The laws 'allow teen drivers to safely gain driving experience under lower-risk conditions before obtaining full driving privileges,' according to the state Depasrtment of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Older drivers in Florida Age limits: The state doesn't have an upper age limit for driving. But in 2004, Florida mandated that drivers 80 or older needed to pass a vision test and file a vision examination report when renewing a license. You pass and your license can be renewed, unless a doctor notes otherwise. What does the law say about seniors driving? ▪ According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, a Florida Class E driver's license — a standard driver's license for non-commercial vehicles — must be renewed every eight years for those who are 79 years old and younger. But at age 80, driver's licenses must be renewed every six years. ▪ Drivers 80 or older and who aren't eligible to renew their driver's license online must pass a vision test, the state says. The test can be taken at a Florida driver's license service center. There is no extra charge. ▪ Drivers can also ask their Florida-licensed medical doctor, osteopathic physician or an optometrist to administer a vision test. Once a customer passes the vision test, the driver or a doctor must submit a Mature Driver Vision Test form that is available from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. If the vision test reveals medical conditions that result in a referral to an eye specialist, such as a Florida-licensed ophthalmologist or an optometrist, a driver must submit a completed Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Report of Eye Exam form. On that form a physician can sign off on patients being safe to drive if they pass the visual test. But eye examiners can also sign the form recommending that a license be denied and can state why. The medical professional can also OK the patient to drive but only under certain specifications such as daytime only or only after passing a driving test or with special equipment on the car. How to request an unsafe driver investigation in Florida Sometimes the problem may go beyond visual and you may have to have a talk with your family member, friend or doctor. Sometimes you may have to reach out to the state. AARP communications manager Dave Bruns says his organization was concerned about the issue as the organization noted that there were 825,000 drivers 80 or older and 112,000 drivers 90 or older registered in Florida. 'But we also think it's unfair to say that it's age alone that is an indicator of why you should be or not be behind a wheel,' he said. 'It's not so much age. It's really about health conditions.' Florida had the largest number of older drivers involved in fatal crashes at 767 compared to other states, according to a 2021 U.S. Department of Transportation report. In 2020, about 7,500 adults 70 and older nationwide were killed in traffic crashes, and almost 200,000 were treated in the ER for crash injuries, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These figures translated to 20 older adults killed and almost 540 injured in crashes daily. Sometimes age-related impairments are a factor and the driver may not be willing to give up their independence or recognize the time may have come. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles 'will accept information from any doctor, person, or agency representative who knows of a physical or mental condition that may affect an individual's ability to drive safely,' according to Nolo, a nationwide firm that answers legal questions. These reports can be filed to the state by completing the department's Medical Referral form. Reports are kept confidential, but you must include a name, address and telephone number. Department investigators may interview family members, neighbors or the driver's doctor, and may also require medical tests or written or road retests.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Uthmeier blames Biden after arrest of Bay County employees who sold driver's licenses to migrants
Driver's license. Credit: Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Thursday blamed the Biden administration for a scheme where tax collector employees sold driver's licenses to immigrants who didn't take the required test. Uthemeier linked the fraud in Panama City to former President Joe Biden's immigration policies during a press conference announcing the arrests of the two public employees, five people who helped the employees commit the fraud, and one woman who had paid to receive a passing grade on her driving skills test. 'I think today is yet another example of how the Biden border policy puts American families at risk. Here you've got hundreds of aliens that are cheating, that are breaking the law, that are buying driver's licenses without taking the test, getting on the roads, putting everybody in danger,' Uthmeier said. Immigration officials also appeared at the press conference with Uthmeier to further the message of cracking down on illegal immigration. Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford said most of the people who got fraudulent licenses had an immigration status authorizing them to drive illegally, based on the information gathered during the month-long investigation. Police seized on Wednesday $120,000 that the employees appeared to have made from the scheme that has been going on for three years, Ford said. 'What we have found so far in this case is that most of the aliens that were getting driver's licenses have some type of status. Some of that is the asylum status, which we know is a very controversial process, and doesn't take a lot to get that status,' Ford said without presenting evidence that that was the case for the asylum seekers who bought the licenses. At this time, Ford said officials didn't know when the immigrants buying licenses had entered the country. Ford didn't have a narrow estimate of how many licenses the employees had sold, saying that hundreds or thousands of people living across the state could have bought a license from the Panama City tax collector's office. Asylum seekers with valid work permits can get driver's licenses in Florida. Chuck Purdue, Bay County's tax collector, said his office first noticed indications of the fraud in April, when he saw one of the employees had conducted 295 road exams in one month — the average is 20 to 25. But he sidestepped a question about whether the supervisors of the arrested employees would face consequences, and said that the two employees were the only ones known to have sold the licenses. 'The sheriff and I'll have to talk about that. We have not talked about it that far yet,' Purdue said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Florida is the top state for motorcycle deaths. In early 2025, Duval leads in fatalities
Already in 2025, it's been a deadly year for motorcyclists on Jacksonville-area roadways. In an eight-day period in January alone, four motorcyclists were killed in three separate crashes. Through Feb. 13, Duval County has recorded eight motorcycle fatalities in 52 motorcycle crashes, according to preliminary data from Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, leading Florida's 67 counties in the grim statistic. A year ago, just two motorcyclists had died in crashes through Feb. 16., Jacksonville police reported at the time. The county ended 2024 with 36 motorcycle fatalities. This year, though, Jacksonville is averaging one motorcycle death every 5.5 days, a pace that would equal a staggering 66 deaths by the end of 2025. Statewide, motorcycle crash deaths number 44 in 843 crashes through Feb. 13. And that's before hundreds of thousands of bikers and bike fans rumble into Daytona Beach — including many down Interstate 95 in Duval and St. Johns counties — for the city's annual 10-day Bike Week event from Feb. 28 to March 9. In 2024, Florida reported 9,420 motorcycle crashes, resulting in 578 fatalities, according to highway safety statistics, ranking the state No. 1 in motorcycle deaths in the country for the third consecutive year. The numbers in 2023 (621 fatalities) and 2022 (631 fatalities) were even higher. By comparison, California had 525 motorcycle fatalities in 2023, despite universal helmet laws, and Texas had 475, according to a study compiled from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports by Marietta, Georgia-based personal attorney firm Jones & Swanson. "Florida remains the most dangerous state for motorcyclists, not due to chance, but because of policy failures," the firm said in an email. "Weak helmet laws, lenient DUI enforcement, and long-ignored crash hotspots are needlessly endangering riders. Without urgent reforms, these deaths will continue to climb." Anyone operating or riding a motorcycle must wear protective headgear and an eye-protective device, per Florida law. However, since 2000 it's been legal for motorcyclists 21 years of age and older to ride without wearing a helmet as long as they're covered by an insurance policy providing at least $10,000 in medical benefits. The helmet law does not apply to anyone 16 years of age and older operating or riding on a motorcycle that is: Powered by a motor with a displacement of 50 cubic centimeters or less, or Rated not in excess of 2 brake horsepower and Which is not capable of going faster than 30 miles per hour on level ground. Anyone under 16 still has to wear a helmet. Among the crashes that have killed eight motorcyclists in Duval County this year are the following, according to local news reports citing local and state law enforcement sources: Sunday, Jan. 19: A 47-year-old motorcyclist was killed when his speeding motorcycle struck a sedan on Roosevelt Boulevard, south of Edgewood Avenue, First Coast News reported. Sunday, Jan. 26: A motorcyclist died after colliding with a sedan that pulled into its path in the 4200 block of Roosevelt Boulevard, First Coast News reported. Sunday, Jan. 26: Two motorcyclists, a 41-year-old man and a 32-year-old man, died when their motorcycles collided on I-295 near Old St. Augustine Road, causing them to lose control of their bikes, News4Jax reported. Tuesday, Feb. 4: A 66-year-old motorcyclist died when he was struck by a stolen truck driven by a man who was driving the wrong way on I-295 at 103rd Street, First Coast News reported. Friday, Feb. 7: A motorcyclist died after hitting a concrete pole in the 1400 block of Kings Avenue near San Marco, First Coast News reported. Since 2017, Jacksonville recorded its lowest number of motorcycle deaths in 2018 and its highest number in 2021, according to FHSMV data. 2024: 36 fatalities / 479 crashes 2023: 32 fatalities / 519 crashes 2022: 31 fatalities / 485 crashes 2021: 41 fatalities / 448 crashes 2020: 21 fatalities / 380 crashes 2019: 25 fatalities / 422 crashes 2018: 19 fatalities / 435 crashes 2017: 23 fatalities / 495 crashes This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Motorcycle deaths in Florida: In early 2025, Duval County leads state
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Florida is the top state for motorcycle deaths. Most deadly place, helmet laws
For the third year in a row, Florida ranks No. 1 in motorcycle deaths in the country, according to highway safety statistics. The Sunshine State saw 9,420 motorcycle crashes in 2024, resulting in 578 fatalities and 8,106 injuries according to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) "Crash Dashboard." The years before were worse, with 621 fatalities in 2023 and 631 in 2022. As of Feb. 6, 2025, 32 people have died in motorcycle crashes in Florida and 562 injured, according to preliminary FLHSMV data. And that's before hundreds of thousands of bikers and bike fans rumble into Daytona Beach for the city's annual Bike Week event. In comparison, California had 525 motorcycle fatalities in 2023, despite universal helmet laws, and Texas had 475, according to a study compiled from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports by the personal attorney firm Jones & Swanson. Florida also saw 1,024 DUI-related motorcycle crashes last year, the firm said. "Florida remains the most dangerous state for motorcyclists, not due to chance, but because of policy failures," the firm said in an email. "Weak helmet laws, lenient DUI enforcement, and long-ignored crash hotspots are needlessly endangering riders. Without urgent reforms, these deaths will continue to climb." Anyone operating or riding a motorcycle must wear protective headgear and an eye-protective device, per Florida law. However, since 2000 it's been legal for motorcyclists 21 years of age and older to ride without wearing a helmet as long as they're covered by an insurance policy providing at least $10,000 in medical benefits. The helmet law does not apply to anyone 16 years of age and older operating or riding on a motorcycle that is: Powered by a motor with a displacement of 50 cubic centimeters or less, or Rated not in excess of 2 brake horsepower and Which is not capable of going faster than 30 miles per hour on level ground. Anyone under 16 still has to wear a helmet. According to reports from the Florida Department of Transportation, the intersection of State Road 82 & Daniels Parkway in Fort Myers is a high-risk location. Data showed 105 motorcycle fatalities connected to that location in 2022, Jones & Swanson said. This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida saw 578 fatalities from motorcycle crashes in 2024: FHSMV
Fox News
06-02-2025
- Automotive
- Fox News
Jimmy Buffett fans in Florida inch closer to getting license plate to honor late singer
Fans of Jimmy Buffett around the world can cruise down the highway listening to songs about wasting away in Margaritaville and chowing down on a cheeseburger in paradise, but in Florida, fans have the option of honoring the late musician with a license plate on the back of their vehicle. In January 2024, the Florida Legislature approved two bills to honor Buffett, who died on Sept. 1, 2023. "Margaritaville is just what Florida is all about," said Republican state Sen. Gayle Harrell, who sponsored one of the bills. "Jimmy Buffett is the icon of Florida. No one represents the open sun, beaches, [and] music more than Jimmy Buffett and Margaritaville." One of the bills designated State Road A1A as Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway, while the other created a specialty license plate with the word "Margaritaville," which is the title of the 1977 hit song written by Buffett that has become a nickname for Key West. As of Thursday, 2,199 Margaritaville license plates had been ordered. In order to reach the 3,000 pre-order requirement, 801 still needed to be purchased in advance. Still, proceeds from license plate sales will go to a charity founded by Buffett, Singing for Change, and will benefit Florida nonprofits that help victims of hurricanes and other disasters, Harrell said. The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website has a number of new specialty license plates available for pre-sale and displays the number ordered and number required to manufacture. For example, a specialty plate is on pre-order for the MLS soccer team Inter Miami CF, and of the 3,000 required, 1,493 have been ordered thus far. Other specialty license plates include ones for the Florida State Beekeepers Association, which has 929 ordered; Honor Flight, which has 263 ordered; Cancer Research Matters, which has 111 ordered; and Down syndrome, which has 110 ordered. While many Buffett fans have come through to get the license plate closer to reality, the question remains whether enough fans will put their fins up and finish the job.
