Driver license the official handbook

The Official Florida Driver License Handbook—rev. 051417
  
55  
.....................................................................................................................HANDLING EMERGENCIES
Leaving the Scene
It is against the law for you to leave 
the scene of an accident involving 
property damage, injury, or death!
“Hit & Run” Penalties
Leaving the scene resulting in:
Death
1st degree felony, 
minimum 4 year 
prison term.
Serious bodily 
injury
2nd degree felony.
Injury
3rd degree felony.
All of the above include losing license for 
3 years minimum.
Damage to a 
vehicle or other 
property which 
is driven or 
attended by any 
person.
2nd degree 
misdemeanor.
First Aid
If you come upon a crash, call 
911 and/or send someone for 
help.
 Don’t assume someone else 
has called; it is better for emergency 
services to get multiple calls rather 
than none at all.
Do not put yourself in danger! Pull 
as far off the road as possible, and 
turn on your hazard flashers to alert 
others. Be careful when exiting your 
vehicle and stay out of traffic. 
If someone is injured, apply first aid. 
However, don’t move an injured 
person who may have a neck or 
spinal injury. Don’t attempt to 
remove the helmet of an injured 
motorcycle or bicycle rider.
Treat For Shock 
Persons who have been injured may 
go into shock. When someone is 
in shock, all of the body functions 
slow down. Shock can be very 
serious and can cause death. Treat 
the injured for shock regardless of 
whether or not they appear to be in 
shock:
  • Keep the injured person calm. 
  • Don’t give them anything to 
drink.
  • Have the person lie flat and 
elevate their legs.  
  • Cover the person with blankets 
to hold body heat.
  • Maintain an open airway.

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©2017 Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
STATE LAW
MOVE OVER • REDUCE SPEED
FOR STOPPED EMERGENCY OR SERVICE VEHICLES
WITH FLASHING LIGHTS

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The Official Florida Driver License Handbook—rev. 051417
  
57  
YOUR DRIVING PRIVILEGE
Driving in Florida is a privilege you earn. In addition to the rules of the 
road, you must also abide by the following laws in order to maintain your 
driving privilege.
Insurance Laws
Florida law requires drivers and vehicle owners to maintain insurance to 
cover costs in case of a crash. These laws include the No-Fault Law and 
Financial Responsibility Law.
No-Fault Law
Before you register your car in Florida, you must show proof of Personal 
Injury Protection (PIP)
 and Property Damage Liability (PDL) coverage. 
PIP covers your injuries if you’re in a crash, no matter who caused it. PDL 
coverage pays for damage to other people’s property that you caused. 
Every owner or person in charge of operating a motor vehicle on Florida 
roadways must:
  • provide proof of valid PIP and PDL insurance at the time of vehicle 
registration.
  • have a minimum of $10,000 in PIP AND a minimum of $10,000 in 
PDL
 coverage.
  • purchase the policy from an insurance agency licensed to do business in 
Florida.
  • maintain the insurance continuously throughout the registration period.
  • always have proof of valid Florida insurance readily available when the 
vehicle is being driven on Florida roadways. 
You must comply if you own a motor vehicle that has been in the state 
for 90 days (consecutive or non-consecutive) during the last 365 days. 
You must maintain proper insurance or your driver license /license plate 
registration can be suspended.
Your insurance company is required by law to notify the DHSMV when 
you renew your policy, if you fail to renew it when due, or if the policy is 
canceled either by you or the insurance company. If you don’t renew your 
coverage or it is canceled, DHSMV will send you a notice that you must 
provide proof of new coverage. If you fail to provide proof of new insurance 
your driver license and license plate can be suspended for up to three years.
If you don’t maintain insurance coverage throughout the vehicle registration 
period, you must turn in the vehicle license plate to any DHSMV or tax 

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©2017 Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
collector office. Turn in your plate 
BEFORE canceling your insurance 
to prevent the suspension of your 
license and to avoid reinstatement 
fees.
Always carry proof of insurance 
when you or someone else is 
driving your vehicle. Your insurance 
company will provide you with a 
Florida Insurance ID Card. You 
must have the card (or electronic 
proof on a smart phone) with you 
when you’re driving. You may 
receive a citation if you are stopped 
by a law enforcement officer and 
don’t have proof of insurance with 
you. You’ll have to go to court 
to prove that you had insurance 
coverage at the time you were 
stopped or your driver license may 
be suspended. If you don’t have 
proof and the judge convicts you, 
your driver license and license plate 
will be suspended. In order to lift 
the suspension, you will have to get 
insurance and pay a reinstatement 
fee ($150 to $500). 
If your driver license and plate 
have been under suspension for 30 
days or more, a law enforcement 
officer can seize your license plate 
immediately. The officer may also 
take you to jail for driving with a 
suspended license, which is a first-
degree misdemeanor punishable 
by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 
fine.
If your driver license or license 
plate is suspended for not having 
insurance, you won’t be able to get 
a temporary license for any reason, 
not even to go to work. Also, if you 
show a law enforcement officer an 
insurance card when you know the 
insurance has been canceled—or if 
you falsify the card—you may be 
arrested and charged with a second-
degree misdemeanor.
DHSMV will always provide you 
with an opportunity to prove 
insurance coverage or have an 
administrative hearing. When you 
receive the notice of suspension 
of your license you may request a 
hearing; otherwise, one will not be 
scheduled for you.
Financial Responsibility
In addition to the required PIP 
and PDL coverage, if you’re in a 
crash, you will have to prove that 
you are financially responsible for 
all damages you caused. You can 
prove such financial responsibility 
by either purchasing an insurance 
policy from a company licensed 
to do business in Florida, or 
obtaining a Financial Responsibility 
Certificate from the DHSMV. Get 
more information about Financial 
Responsibility Certificates at 
 www.flhsmv.gov.
It’s the Law
You must provide your driver 
license, proof of vehicle 
registration, and proof of 
insurance when stopped by a 
law enforcement officer.
 

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