Ask 1stFlorida
Florida riders over 21 may ride without a helmet if insurance covers at least $10,000 in medical benefits for motorcycle crash injuries.
The law is section 316.211 of the Florida Statutes. Its general rule is that a person may not operate or ride upon a motorcycle without properly wearing a helmet that meets Federal Motorcycle Vehicle Safety Standard 218, issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The exception is in the same section. A person over 21 may operate or ride upon a motorcycle without a helmet if that person is covered by an insurance policy providing at least $10,000 in medical benefits for injuries from a motorcycle crash. The exception covers both the operator and a person riding on the motorcycle. Riders who do not meet both conditions must wear a helmet, unless an exemption below applies.
Eye protection is a separate rule, and the over-21 insurance exception does not cover it: a person may not operate a motorcycle without wearing an eye-protective device of a type approved by the state. The eye rule is written for the person operating the motorcycle.
Mopeds have their own rule. A person under 16 may not operate or ride upon a moped without a helmet that meets the same federal standard.
Neither the helmet rule nor the eye rule applies to riders in an enclosed cab, or to riders 16 or older on a small motorcycle with a motor of 50 cubic centimeters or less, or rated at 2 brake horsepower or less, that cannot go faster than 30 miles per hour on level ground.
A violation is a noncriminal traffic infraction, handled as a nonmoving violation. For a question about whether your policy meets the $10,000 rule, ask your insurance agent.
Move over: on a road with two or more lanes going your way, when you come up on a stopped emergency vehicle, sanitation truck, utility service vehicle or wrecker, or a disabled vehicle showing hazard lights, flares or signs or with people standing by it, you must leave the lane next to it.
Read the answer →Florida law requires every driver, every front-seat passenger and every passenger under 18 to wear a seat belt or, for a young child, use a child seat.
Read the answer →Every vehicle with four or more wheels registered in Florida must carry at least $10,000 of Personal Injury Protection and $10,000 of Property Damage Liability, and you must show proof of both before the state will register it.
Read the answer →I-4 links Tampa, Orlando and the Daytona Beach area, and FL511, the state's free traffic service, shows its traffic, crashes and construction live.
A Florida law bars vehicle sound that is plainly audible 25 feet or more away, and noise from homes and businesses is covered by city and county rules.
The legal drinking age in Florida is 21; state law makes it a crime for anyone under 21 to have alcoholic beverages in their possession.
Have a different question? Ask 1stFlorida →