International driving law deferred
A new law recently introduced by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) that requires all visiting drivers to carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) is to be deferred, following pressure from the UK’s Automobile Association (AA) and other organisations. The law was intended to ensure that foreign language driving licences could be verified by police officers, and although the law was introduced on 1 January this year, it was not well publicised and it was only when a British traveller found that their UK driving licence was not considered sufficient to rent a car that the issue came to light. The AA said that even the AAA – the equivalent US organisation – did not know about the change in law, and has thus urged the Florida DHSMC to review the measure.
A new law recently introduced by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) that requires all visiting drivers to carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) is to be deferred, following pressure from the UK’s Automobile Association (AA) and other organisations. The law was intended to ensure that foreign language driving licences could be verified by police officers, and although the law was introduced on 1 January this year, it was not well publicised and it was only when a British traveller found that their UK driving licence was not considered sufficient to rent a car that the issue came to light. The AA said that even the AAA – the equivalent US organisation – did not know about the change in law, and has thus urged the Florida DHSMC to review the measure.
Rosie Sanderson, on behalf of the AA, said that the DHSMV only meet once a month, which could result in a delay to the law’s deferral, and until then, travellers should be made aware of their rights: “The difficulty is that car hire firms are already refusing to hire cars to drivers who don’t hold an IDP and, while legislation may not be enforced, the fact remains that drivers are still legally required to carry an IPD,” she said, adding: “Travel agents and car hire firms will be very unwilling to enter a contract with a traveller who doesn’t carry the right documents because from an American insurance point of view, including car hire, there could be untold financial consequences in the event of a road traffic collision.” The AA advised any driver planning to travel in Florida to arrange for an IDP immediately.