Florida’s Motorcycle Laws: What You Need to Know
Florida motorcycle laws are designed to help all motorists stay safe and enjoy their travels. When you go out for a ride, it’s vital to know Florida’s motorcycle laws. The laws for motorcyclists in Florida cover everything from what your bike needs structurally to helmet laws to how to use the roads. Here’s a short guide on Florida’s motorcycle laws.
Insurance Requirements
There are two sets of requirements for motorcycle riders in Florida. The first rule has to do with what insurance you need to have to lawfully ride without wearing a helmet. The second rule has to do with the liability insurance you have to carry to drive a motorcycle in Florida legally.
To ride a motorcycle without a helmet, in addition to being over the age of 21, you must also have at least $10,000 in medical insurance benefits. The insurance covers your injuries if you’re hurt in a crash. That insurance is optional for motorcyclists, but it’s mandatory if you don’t want to wear a helmet.
In addition, all motorcyclists must carry liability insurance. You must have at least $20,000 in total bodily injury insurance, $10,000 in coverage for property damage and bodily injury per person, and at least $30,000 as your single incident liability limit. Even if you wear a helmet, it’s against Florida law to drive a motorcycle without these required insurance minimums.
Motorcycle Endorsement
To lawfully ride a motorcycle in Florida, you must have a motorcycle endorsement on your driver’s license. That means you need specialized training for motorcycle drivers. It’s possible to get a motorcycle endorsement without having a regular driver’s license. In either case, you must have an endorsement specific to motorcycles to lawfully ride a motorcycle in Florida.
Daytime Headlights
Florida law motorcycle requires riders to drive using a headlight even in the middle of the day. If you have an accident on your bike and evidence shows that your failure to use a headlight was the proximate cause of the crash, it can be used to show that you were negligent in a civil case.
Right to Full Use of the Road in Florida
When you ride a motorcycle in Florida, you have to follow the same laws that others have to follow. You can’t weave in and out of traffic, and you must obey all traffic signals. You also have the same rights that other drivers have on the road. You have the right to full use of your lane, but you can also share a lane with another motorcyclist if you want to. Florida law says that other drivers must give you full use of a lane.
Helmet Requirement
You must wear a helmet if you’re under the age of 21. Even if you’re over 21, you must still wear a helmet if you don’t carry at least $10,000 in medical coverage in case of an accident. In addition, whether or not you wear a helmet might impact your right to financial recovery if you’re hurt in a motorcycle accident.
Have you been hurt by a motorcycle accident? Are you wondering how Florida motorcycle laws impact your rights? Contact the experienced motorcycle accident attorneys at Suarez & Montero for help.
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