If you have pre-teens or teenagers in the house, the prospect of them driving is probably starting to weigh on your mind. Knowing you will soon have a teen driver can feel overwhelming for both the parent and the teen. Adults with years of driving experience understand what a huge responsibility it is to have a driver’s license and be out on the road. We thought it might be helpful for you to know what the laws are for teen drivers in Florida as you begin to prepare them (and yourself) for this exciting yet anxiety-inducing time.
Permit and license laws vary by state. You can consult the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) website for the most up-to-date information.
Driving Age
To obtain a permit, which is the precursor to a license, a person must be at least fifteen years of age. If the person is under eighteen years of age, they must have a parental consent form signed.
Driving Test Requirements
The person must also have proof that they have completed a Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education Course (TLSAE). Some schools provide a course to meet this requirement. They will need to pass a vision and hearing test, as well as provide proof of identity, proof of Social Security number, and proof of residential address. They are also required to take a written, multiple-choice test consisting of fifty questions. To pass, they must get at least forty questions correct. The test covers traffic laws and traffic signs.
Driving with Your Teen
Once your teen receives their permit, they can drive with an adult, age twenty-one or older, in the passenger seat of the vehicle. The vehicle must have current registration and insurance.
For the first three months after receiving the permit, the teen driver is only allowed to drive during daylight hours. After that, they can be on the road until 10 pm. We strongly suggest you begin this driving practice in an empty parking lot to go over the basics of driving and allow your teen to learn the feel of the accelerator and brake pedal. PLEASE, don’t take them out on A1A for their first driving experience!
As the parent, you will have received a Log Sheet to track your child’s driving. In Florida, a driver must have their permit for one full year (or have reached age eighteen) and are required to have at least fifty hours of driving experience before applying for their license. Ten of those fifty hours must be at night.
Teen Drivers and Car Accidents
According to DoSomething.org, sixteen-year-old drivers have a higher accident rate than drivers of any other age. We can’t be with our kids 24/7, and even if we were, some accidents are truly unavoidable. If you or your teen goes through the unfortunate incident of an accident and need a car accident attorney, please call us at Nance Cacciatore Law to see what we can do for you. Located in Melbourne, FL, we serve all of Brevard County, from Titusville to Palm Bay. Our personal injury lawyers are experts in trying car accidents, motorcycle accidents, and wrongful death cases. We will be with you every step of the way!
