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Drivers that don’t wear their seat belt when they’re out and about may wish to be extra careful when navigating the Florida roads! A number of Florida police departments across recently kicked off the “Click It or Ticket” seat belt campaign. During this campaign, law enforcement officers will be upping their patrol until the 2nd of June as more drivers are expected to be out on the roads because of the recent Memorial Day weekend.

As Florida looks to reduce the number of distracted drivers on the road by proposing bills with larger consequences, another unrelated bill was filed earlier this year in the Florida House. With House Bill 849, school districts would be able to equip school buses with cameras that can record the license plates of drivers passing the bus when students are entering or exiting the bus.

During a rainstorm, headlights should remain on so fellow drivers can spot the vehicle during a heavy downpour. However, hazard lights should not be used. Drivers in South Florida may have seen others using their hazard lights on a rainy day for apparently no reason. Using these hazard lights on roads only results in greater confusion and more danger during rainy conditions. The use of these hazards (also commonly referred to as "flashers") is illegal and may result in a fine.

The state legislators spearheading the tougher laws think Florida requires stricter laws for the road. To improve pedestrian and driver safety, the goal is to remove distractions while someone is behind the wheel so they concentrate exclusively on driving. Reading, interactions with unsecured cargo, use of a cell phone or any "personal wireless communications device", writing, all of these are examples of potentially illegal actions. A clause in the bill being proposed also mentions "any other activity, conduct, task, or action that causes distraction" that expands the range of what could be considered distracted driving.

When law enforcement officers ask a driver to provide their license, vehicle registration, and insurance, it is typically due to a traffic infraction. With advancements in technology, officers are able to quickly verify license and registration status through an up-to-date Florida database. The case is not the same for insurance verification.

The American Association of State Troopers is using January to raise awareness among Florida motorists on how essential the move over law is. It is easy to understand. This law mandates that all drivers must change lanes for any emergency vehicles, law enforcement, tow truck drivers, and utility service vehicles. Should a driver be unable to move to an adjacent lane, he or she is required to reduce their speed by twenty miles based on the posted speed limit. Drivers that do not follow the move over law may face a ticket, fine, and up to three points on their driver's license.

Florida drivers should remember that per the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, all drivers are required to come to a full stop when a school bus has its stop signal displayed, regardless of which direction a driver may be heading on a two-way street or a highway with a paved median divider. Drivers are required to remain stopped until children are no longer on the road and the bus has withdrawn its stop arm completely. If a driver approaches an oncoming bus and there is a raised barrier or at least five feet of unpaved space between traffic lanes, then stopping is not required. However, drivers should still reduce their speed and watch for any children that may be getting on or off the school bus.

Indeed, Florida traffic law has no explicit laws in place when it comes to pets and pickup trucks. However, laws do exist addressing the ability to control a pet to prevent the chance of it potentially becoming a public safety threat. As to what steps should be taken to keep a pet safe during vehicular travel, that responsibility is left up to the driver. Although municipalities may have existing ordinances addressing pet transport, they are more than likely to vary depending on where a person goes.

As a means of potentially avoiding an uncomfortable situation, Florida is spearheading a new law which will allow drivers the choice to identify themselves as hearing impaired when they register a vehicle or renew their driver's license. The law arrives a pair of years after a hearing impaired driver passed away after being shot in North Carolina when he was unable to hear the sirens of a trooper who tried to pull the driver over.

Per a National Safety Commission poll, more than seventy percent of Americans are unfamiliar with their state laws regarding when to "Move Over". There have been several instances where law enforcement officers have been injured because of drivers not adhering to the rules. While the majority of drivers know that they must pull over to allow emergency vehicles to pass, when it comes to switching lanes for the purpose of maintaining a safe distance, there remains a large degree of driver ignorance.