A large percentage are issued for “failure to pay a traffic fine,” according to a list provided by the FLHSMV. The fines that cost Florida motorists their licenses don’t necessarily mean they’re bad drivers. Floridians currently pay an average annual auto insurance premium of $2,239, according to Friedlander.

“Florida ranks second on a list of the least-affordable states for auto insurance,” says another study by the Insurance Research Council. losing the ability to pay the court debt that triggered their suspensions in the first place,” says a study by the Fines and Fees Justice Center (FFJC).Ĭould the situation get even worse? Yes, as the cost of driving in the Sunshine State continues to rise. “People are forced to choose between driving illegally.

It’s easy to understand why people would choose to drive and ignore a license suspension. “The unlicensed driver is counted as an uninsured driver.”įriedlander’s ominous warning: “If you let an unlicensed driver use your car and he or she gets into an auto accident, your insurance claim will be denied.” To Drive or Not to Drive in Florida “Just because the vehicle is insured doesn’t mean that the driver has a valid license or is covered by the vehicle’s insurance policy,” says Friedlander. So being uninsured creates yet another violation.įlorida’s motor vehicle department maintains that about 14 million of its 15 million registered vehicles carry at least the minimum coverage. Both a valid driver’s license and insurance are required in the Sunshine state-where public transportation is an iffy proposition since nine out of 10 Floridians drive to work. When an auto insurance policy is canceled or renewed, the insurer immediately notifies the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) that the vehicle is in violation. “When a driver’s license has been suspended due to unpaid fines, auto insurers will typically cancel or not renew their auto insurance policy,” says Mark Friedlander, spokesperson for the Insurance Information Institute, a trade group. The dilemma: One difficulty renders the other one even worse. And compounding the problem is that many of these motorists-nearly 2 million-are driving with a suspended license, which has usually been revoked due to unpaid fines. If your car is damaged, the odds of recouping your losses from someone else aren’t good unless you yourself are fully insured.įlorida has the distinction of having the highest percentage of uninsured motorists, according to the Insurance Research Council, at about 27%.

One in four vehicles that speed past you or run a red light isn’t covered by insurance. If you drive in Florida, don’t have an accident.

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