State Bike Laws

Florida

Safe Passing Laws

Florida requires the driver of a vehicle overtaking a bicycle or other non-motorized vehicle must pass the bicycle or other non-motorized vehicle at a safe distance of not less than 3 feet between the vehicle and the bicycle or other non-motorized vehicle.

Drivers may cross a double-yellow no-passing line in order to provide space to a bicyclist while passing them if it is safe to cross the double-yellow line.

Source: Fla. Stat. §§316.083; 316.0875

Helmet Law

Florida requires that any person under the age of 16 riding a bicycle, as an operator or passenger, must wear a protective bicycle helmet.

The failure of a person to wear a bicycle helmet or the failure of a parent or guardian to prevent a child from riding a bicycle without a bicycle helmet may not be considered evidence of negligence or contributory negligence.

Source: Fla. Stat. §316.2065

Share the Road license plates

Florida, in conjunction with Bike Florida and Florida Bicycling Association, offers Share the Road license plates. At least 75% of the funds generated by the plates must go to:

• Education and awareness programs, for bicycle safety and motorist safety, with emphasis on sharing the roadway by all users.
• Training, workshops, educational materials, and media events.
• The promotion of safe bicycling.

For more information on such plates please visit: http://www.flhsmv.gov/dmv/specialtytags/miscellaneous/share_the_road.html

Source: Fla. Stat. §320.08058

Vulnerable Road User Laws

Florida defines a “vulnerable road user” as:

• A pedestrian, including a person actually engaged in work upon a highway, or in work upon utility facilities along a highway, or engaged in the provision of emergency services within the right-of-way;
• A person operating a bicycle, motorcycle, scooter, or moped lawfully on the roadway;
• A person riding an animal; or
• A person lawfully operating on a public right-of-way, crosswalk, or shoulder of the roadway:
• A farm tractor or similar vehicle designed primarily for farm use;
• A skateboard, roller skates, or in-line skates;
• A horse-drawn carriage;
• An electric personal assistive mobility device; or
• A wheelchair.

Florida protects vulnerable road users by providing that a driver who is convicted of a hit and run:

• Before his or her driving privilege may be reinstated, present to the department proof of completion of a victim’s impact panel session in a judicial circuit if such a panel exists, or if such a panel does not exist, a department-approved driver improvement course relating to the rights of vulnerable road users relative to vehicles on the roadway; and
• If the victim of the hit and run was a vulnerable road user, the offense is ranked one level above the typical ranking for purposes of sentencing and any gaintime sentence reduction.

Source: Fla. Stat. §316.027

Distracted Driving Laws

Florida currently has the following laws aimed at distracted driving, subject to limited exceptions:

• No motor vehicle operated on the highways of this state shall be equipped with television-type receiving equipment so located that the viewer or screen is visible from the driver’s seat; and
• No person shall operate a vehicle while wearing a headset, headphone, or other listening device, other than a hearing aid or instrument for the improvement of defective human hearing.

Source: Fla. Stat. §§316.303; 316.304

Where to Ride

Florida requires that a bicyclist, traveling at a speed less than the speed of traffic, must ride as close as practicable to the right-hand edge of the roadway except under any of the following circumstances:

• When overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction;
• When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway;
• When reasonably necessary to avoid any unsafe condition or potential conflict, including one caused by a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and another vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane; or
• When a bicycle lane is available.

Source: Fla. Stat. §316.2065(5)

Sidewalk Riding

Florida allows bicycles to operate on sidewalks subject to the following rules:

• A person propelling a vehicle by human power upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, has all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances; and
• A person propelling a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian.

Source: Fla. Stat. §§316.2065(9)-(10)

Mandatory Use of Separated Facilities

Florida requires that any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride in the lane marked for bicycle use if a lane is marked for bicycle use.

Source: Fla. Stat. §316.2065(5)

Bicycling Under the Influence

In Florida, bicycles are defined as vehicles. Florida’s law prohibiting driving while under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substances is written so that it applies to all vehicles and therefore applies to bicyclists. Bicycles should not be operated while intoxicated and operating a bicycle while under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substances may result in severe punishments.

Source: Fla. Stat. §§316.193; 316.003

“Idaho Stop” and Vehicle Detection Errors

Florida does not provide any modifications to the requirement to come to a complete stop when directed to stop by traffic control devices and does not authorize bicyclists to disobey traffic lights that fail to detect bicyclists.

But, groups of 10 or fewer people riding bicycles can proceed through stop signs as a group after stopping.

Source: Fla. Stat. §316.2065

Authorization for Local Regulation of bicycles

Florida provides that its state traffic laws shall not be deemed to prevent local authorities, with respect to streets and highways under their jurisdiction and within the reasonable exercise of the police power, from regulating the operation of bicycles.

Source: Fla. Stat. §316.008

Dooring law

Florida requires that no person open any door on a motor vehicle unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so and can be done without interfering with the movement of other traffic. In addition, no person shall leave a door open on the side of a vehicle available to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.

Source: Fla. Stat. §316.2005

Treatment as a Vehicle

In Florida bicycles are vehicles according to the statute that defines vehicles and a person riding a bicycle has all of the rights and duties of the driver of a vehicle as provided in Chapter 316 of the Florida Statutes, except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application.

Source: Fla. Stat. §§316.003(75); 316.2065