Florida Laws Are Different When It Comes To Motorcycles
Being familiar with the motorcycle laws will not only help you stay safe, but it will also help you and your Florida accident attorney determine the best course of action for getting you the proper compensation if you were involved in an accident. Florida law defines a motorcycle as a vehicle with not more than three wheels. Despite some differences with certain requirements, all the rules of the road for careful driving still apply to all motorcyclists as well.
Helmet Requirements
Anyone riding a motorcycle under the age of 21 must wear a helmet. If you are over 21, you must possess the proper insurance in order to not wear one. One of the main questions regarding motorcycle accident cases is if the plaintiff was not wearing a helmet, does that constitute as negligence on their part, thus affecting the liability issue? The answer is still up for debate since there isn’t direct authority on the question of comparative negligence yet. So, Until Florida courts resolve the issue in full, the best practice from a civil negligence standpoint is to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle.
Insurance Requirements
If you choose to ride without a helmet and you’re over the age of 21, you must have at least $10,000 in health insurance benefits that will cover your own injuries. It’s optional for riders who wear helmets, but still always strongly recommended.
In addition, all motorcyclists must carry liability insurance (see blog on this issue). 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 (or secure a Financial Responsibility Certificate).
Florida PIP (Personal Injury Protection and/or No-Fault Insurance) does not treat a motorcycle the same as a car. Thus, the Florida PIP rules do not apply to a motorcycle, which means it is treated differently when you are involved in an accident!
Bike Requirements
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.
Florida law requires the motorcycle riders to use the headlight while driving at all times of the day. Your bike must also have footrests, handlebars, stop lamps, and signals.
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