(This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy concerning changes to HOV lanes.)
When you hit the road in Florida, be aware that as of July 1 the laws have changed.
Speeding too fast is now a separate crime, punishable by harsher penalties and even jail time. Impersonating an Uber driver is a crime. HOV lane toll exemptions are going away. No more camping on the side of state highways, no more DMV appointment scams.
Other changes at the DMV include lifetime disabled parking permits, special license plates for certain disabled veterans, and another course to take to get your license
There’s also a new statewide alert for missing children on the autism spectrum.
Here’s what to know before you get behind the wheel.
New ‘superspeeder’ law in Florida
Driving way too fast is now its own crime under HB 351 Dangerous Excessive Speeding. Exceeding the speed limit by 50 mph or more or recklessly driving faster than 100 mph once gets you up to 30 days in jail or a fine of $500 or both.
Doing it again means up to 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine, and you can lose your license if you do it twice within five years.
Illegal to pretend to be an Uber or Lift driver in Florida
HB 1525, Prearranged Transportation Services, makes it a second-degree misdemeanor to impersonate a rideshare driver for services such as Uber or Lyft. Doing so while committing a felony offense is an additional third-degree felony.
The bill also allows the Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Fund commission to contract with qualified rideshare programs to support transportation services for persons with disabilities.
Florida to launch new Spectrum Alert for missing autistic children
Along with purple, silver, blue and AMBER alerts from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there will soon be a new one: the Spectrum Alert.
HB 711 calls for the creation of a new statewide alert, the Spectrum Alert, for missing children with autism spectrum disorder. The bill also requires law enforcement to be trained on how to interact with autistic children in crisis and how to respond effectively, and appropriates $190,000 to implement the new alert in the current alert systems.
New license plate option for veterans
Previously, the only option for a disabled veteran was the “DV” license plate. Under SB 1662, a disabled veteran may choose instead to get either a military license plate for their military branch or a specialty license plate, with the initials “DV” in the top left-hand corner.
To qualify for any of these, the veteran must have been honorably discharged from the United States Armed Forces and must have either lived here continuously for five years or established a domicile by filing with their county’s clerk of the circuit court.
HOV lane program repealed in Florida
HOV (high occupancy vehicle lanes) lanes are lanes in public roadways reserved for vehicles with more than one occupant or for hybrid and low-emission vehicles that registered with the state.
Registered vehicles with HOV decals were also exempt from HOV toll lanes or express lanes, such as the I-95 Express lanes in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. SB 1662 ends that free use and repeals the HOV lane section in Florida statutes, possibly as part of the state’s ongoing de-emphasis on electric vehicles.
“With recent changes this legislative session, there are updates to the toll exemptions for electric vehicles, Inherently Low Emission Vehicles (ILEV), and hybrid vehicles,” FDOT spokesperson Guillermo Alberto Canedo told BocaNewsNow.com. “As a result, no new exemptions or renewals for these vehicles will be issued after June 30, 2025. All exemption decals issued prior to this date will remain active for one year from issuance of the decal.”
No more camping on the side of Florida highways
SB 1662 also prohibits camping on right-of-way of the State Highway System, except on the Florida National Scenic Trail if you have the appropriate permit.
Kill switches in vehicles banned, with exceptions
A “kill switch” is any device that can be used remotely to disable a vehicle’s engine or prevent it from starting.
HB 1371 bans them, except for:
For anyone else, it’s a second-degree misdemeanor.
Changes at the Florida DMV
A couple of bills make some changes at the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
First off, under SB 994, anyone 18 and older applying for a driver license will have to complete a driver education course along with the existing traffic law and substance abuse education course.
HB 961 makes a variety of changes, including prohibiting and penalizing scammers from selling fake DMV or tax collector appointments and revoking limited driver privileges for habitual offenders if they violate the conditions. And if you cheat on your driver license exam (Class E or commercial), you’ll have to do it over.
It also creates a lifetime disabled parking permit for persons who are permanently disabled due to amputation or dismemberment.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Speeding, DMV changes, HOV tolls: New Florida driving laws that went into effect July 1
Reporting by C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
