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Motorcycle laws are designed to protect drivers, passengers and other road users. Following Florida motorcycle laws helps prevent accidents and provides motorcyclists with legal recourse if an accident does occur.
The laws in Florida span from licensing and endorsement to riding etiquette and everything in between.
Florida does have motorcycles with helmets and eye protection. The helmet laws may seem complicated, but they are straightforward when you understand them correctly. Eye protection and headset laws are simpler.
Do you have to wear a helmet on a motorcycle in Florida? This seems like a complicated answer, but yes and no. If the rider is over 21 and has insurance coverage with a minimum of $10,000 for medical benefits if involved in an accident, you do not have to wear a helmet on a motorcycle in Florida.
However, if you are under 21, you must wear a helmet while riding or operating a motorcycle at all times.
Florida helmet laws are thoroughly discussed in statute 316.211(3b). At Kogan & DiSalvo Personal Injury Lawyers, we always recommend wearing a helmet whether the law permits it or not because you are less likely to sustain serious head trauma in a motorcycle accident.
Florida statute 316.211(2) requires you to always wear eye protection while operating a motorcycle. The Department of Transportation must approve the eye protection.
You cannot wear a headset, headphones, or other form of listening device while operating a motorcycle in Florida. Statute 316.304(1) states that hearing aids or other hearing-assisted devices can be worn.
Florida has licensing and endorsement requirements for operating motorcycles on the roadways. You must have an endorsement on your license or obtain a “motorcycle only” license. You can get the endorsement by taking an approved motorcycle safety course.
These courses teach you a great deal about riding safely on the roadways. They also cover strategies and techniques for avoiding collisions and managing your environment. You will also get to practice the strategies and techniques you learned in a safe environment.
Here are the steps to obtaining your motorcycle endorsement. You must have at least a valid Class E driver’s license. Complete an approved motorcycle safety course by an authorized provider. After passing the course, you have one year to get your motorcycle endorsement, or it will be deemed invalid, and you will have to retake the course.
After completing the course, you can go to a driver’s license office and notify them that you completed and passed the course. Pay the endorsement fee, and you will get a new license with your motorcycle endorsement.
A proper motorcycle safety course will teach you everything you need to know about driving a motorcycle safely.
Many laws and regulations in Florida concern motorcycles’ having the correct equipment to be roadworthy. For example, Statute 316.261(3) states that all wheels must have brakes, so a motorcycle’s front and back wheels must have working brakes. A motorcycle exhaust system must not be modified to be louder and must prevent excessive smoke or fumes.
A motorcycle’s handlebars must not be taller than the operator’s shoulders. According to Florida Statute 316.271(1), you must have a working horn on a motorcycle. Mirrors are required on motorcycles in Florida. A motorcycle must have a working headlight, and it must be on at all times while you are operating it.
Other Florida motorcycle equipment laws include a rear red reflector must be visible, a stop lamp is required, turn signals are required and a tail light is required. Your stop lamp and turn signals must also meet the requirements of Florida Statute 316.234(2).
Florida motorcycle laws also apply if you plan to have a passenger on your motorcycle. According to Florida Statute 316.2085 (1), you must have proper seating for your passenger.
You are also required to have mandate-specific footrests for your passenger. Any passenger under the age of 21 must wear a Department of Transportation-approved helmet.
Keeping your passenger comfortable is just as important as keeping yourself comfortable, if not more so. A happy passenger makes a good trip a great one.
It may sound odd, but Florida law does not require motorcyclists to carry insurance. Paying for motorcycle insurance can cost you a lot less in the long run. Florida has the Financial Responsibility Law, which applies if you cause bodily harm while riding your motorcycle.
The Financial Responsibility Law states that if you are found guilty of causing bodily harm to another person while operating your motorcycle, you establish financial responsibility by purchasing liability coverage with a minimum of $10,000 per person per accident and $20,000 per accident total.
Penalties for failing to comply include suspension of your license, reinstatement fees, and more.
Riding motorcycles two wide or in pairs in the same lane on the roadways is legal in Florida. However, riding more than two motorcycles wide in the same lane is illegal.
Florida state laws are quite strict when it comes to drinking and operating a motorcycle. They have what is known as a tiered system based on blood alcohol content (BAC) and how many times you have been caught drinking and driving.
If your BAC is 0.08% or higher, you will get hefty fines and possible jail time. Here are some of the possibilities of the consequences of drinking while operating a motorcycle:
You can also receive up to one year of probation and a mandatory 50 hours of community service. Repeat offenders can also have their license suspended or revoked for 180 days or permanently.
Riding or operating a motorcycle is more risky than other vehicles, so Kogan & DiSalvo Personal Injury Lawyers strongly recommend not drinking while operating a motorcycle.
Florida motorcycle laws are put in place to protect everyone on the roads, especially motorcyclists, because the risk is higher. While operating a motorcycle, you must pay attention to what you and everyone else are doing on the road. Following the laws and regulations is imperative to keep yourself and other motorists safe.
However, if you are involved in a motorcycle accident in Florida, Kogan & DiSalvo Personal Injury Lawyers will help you with your claim. We know the Florida motorcycle laws and have extensive expertise and experience with motorcycle accident cases.
If you have questions or were involved in a motorcycle accident, contact us to schedule a free consultation to discuss and review your case today.
If you are injured and unable to come to us,
our attorney will come to you - there is no charge for us to do so.
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