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Florida driver handbook guide

Florida driver handbook guide.

Use this guide to navigate the 15 chapters in the handbook edition behind Roadwise’s Florida course. Read the source, look up a rule in the study app, or work through 67 companion lessons.

Read the handbook in Roadwise Open source PDF
Handbook chapters
15
Source PDF pages
104
Companion lessons
67
Licensing agency
FLHSMV

A way through the handbook

Start with the application and licensing material that applies to your age and license type. Then work through the driving rules, signs, and safe-driving chapters. A rule is easier to remember when you can explain what it asks you to do in a real road situation.

For a quick refresher, use the chapter list below. For a deeper study session, follow a companion lesson and its checkpoint questions. The page numbers refer to this course’s source edition and may differ from the newest agency edition.

Chapter list

  1. Introduction Source p. 1
  2. Introduction Source p. 3
  3. Pending Statute Changes (2023) Source p. 4
  4. Letter from the Director Source p. 8
  5. Chapter 1: Driver Licenses & ID Cards Source p. 11
  6. Chapter 2: Driving Schools & Test Providers Source p. 25
  7. Chapter 3: Your Driving Privilege Source p. 31
  8. Chapter 4: Before You Drive—You the Driver Source p. 41
  9. Chapter 5: Before You Drive—Your Vehicle Source p. 45
  10. Chapter 6: Traffic Controls Source p. 51
  11. Chapter 7: Driving Safety Source p. 67
  12. Chapter 8: Special Driving Situations Source p. 79
  13. Chapter 9: Handling Emergencies Source p. 83
  14. Chapter 10: Sharing the Road Source p. 89
  15. Chapter 11: Study Guide for Knowledge Exam Source p. 99

What you will find in each chapter

Chapter 1 · source p. 1

Introduction

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Our Mission
  • Our Vision
  • Our Values
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 2 · source p. 3

Introduction

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Disclaimer
  • Warning
  • Public Records
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 3 · source p. 4

Pending Statute Changes (2023)

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Pending Statute Changes For 2023
  • HB 0001 – Education
  • Out-of-Home Care
  • HB 425 – Transportation
  • Speed Limits
  • Passing Infractions
  • Card, and Motor Vehicle Registration
  • HB 1087 – Child Support
  • HB 949 – Operation of a Golf Cart
  • SB 1718 – Immigration
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 4 · source p. 8

Letter from the Director

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Learner’S License
  • Age 16 With Driver License
  • Age 17 With Driver License
  • Driving Record Points
  • Remember...
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 5 · source p. 11

Chapter 1: Driver Licenses & ID Cards

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Definitions
  • Who Needs a Florida License to Drive?
  • Exceptions for the Florida Driver License
  • Reciprocity
  • Licenses
  • Commercial Driver Licenses
  • Cards
  • Changes on page 12.)
  • Step 1: Primary Identification
  • Social Security Number
  • Secondary Identification
  • Residential Address*
  • Learner’s License
  • Driver License
  • Parental Consent for Minors
  • Physical & Mental Requirements
  • Restriction Codes
  • Restriction
  • ID Card Requirements
  • ID Cards for Homeless Persons
  • Below Poverty Level
  • Career Offenders
  • Selective Service
  • Predators
  • Florida Organ & Tissue Donor
  • Veteran Designation
  • Voluntary Contributions
  • Change of Address
  • Name Changes
  • Replacement
  • Replacement Requirements
  • License Renewal
  • Renewal Requirements
  • Renewing Online
  • Drivers 80 Years Old and Older
  • Insurance Reinstatement Fees
  • Exempt Fees for 100% Disabled US Veterans
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 6 · source p. 25

Chapter 2: Driving Schools & Test Providers

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Driving Schools/Courses
  • Traffic Law Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) Course
  • Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) Course
  • (ADI) Courses
  • Licensed DUI Programs
  • Older Driver Courses
  • Driver License Testing
  • Testing Options
  • Driver License Service Centers
  • Driver Education (Delap)
  • Third Party Testing
  • License Examinations
  • Vision Screening
  • Class E Knowledge Exam
  • Driving Skills Test
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 7 · source p. 31

Chapter 3: Your Driving Privilege

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Your Driving Privilege
  • Insurance Laws
  • No-Fault Law
  • Financial Responsibility Law
  • (Driving Curfews)
  • License Law
  • Violations
  • (Dui)
  • Implied Consent Law
  • First DUI Conviction
  • Second DUI Offense/Conviction
  • Third DUI Offense/Conviction
  • Zero Tolerance
  • Littering
  • Passing a Stopped School Bus
  • Road Damage
  • Safety Belts
  • Restraints In Need of Car Seat Assistance?
  • Exemptions
  • Speeding
  • Traffic Crashes
  • Three Crashes In Three Years Law
  • Point System for Minors
  • Common Violations and Associated Point Value
  • Points
  • Losing the Privilege to Drive
  • Suspensions
  • Revocations
  • Cancellations
  • Administrative Hearings
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 8 · source p. 41

Chapter 4: Before You Drive—You the Driver

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Before You Drive—You The Driver
  • Physical Health
  • Considerations for Older Drivers
  • Distracted Driving
  • Categories of Distraction
  • Drinking & Driving
  • Do Not Drink and Drive!
  • Drowsy Driving
  • Drugged Driving
  • Emotions
  • Road Rage
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 9 · source p. 45

Chapter 5: Before You Drive—Your Vehicle

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Vehicle Registration
  • Plates & Registration
  • Renewal
  • Equipment Standards
  • Specifications
  • Equipment NOT Permitted
  • Air Bags
  • Systems (ADAS)
  • Collision Warning Systems
  • Collision Intervention Systems
  • Brake Systems
  • Bumper Height Requirements
  • Rear
  • Emissions Control Devices
  • Trailers, Towing, & Load
  • 6. Traffic Controls
  • Drawbar Or Towing Connection
  • Securing The Load
  • Projecting Loads
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 10 · source p. 51

Chapter 6: Traffic Controls

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Pavement Markings
  • Edge Lines
  • White Lane Lines
  • Yellow Lane Lines
  • White Stop Lines
  • Marked Crosswalks
  • Turn Lanes
  • Reversible Lanes
  • Bicycle Lanes
  • Other Markings
  • Traffic Signs
  • Traffic Sign Colors
  • Informational Signs
  • Regulatory Signs
  • Parking by Disabled
  • Warning Signs
  • Emergency Vehicle
  • Traffic Signals
  • Red Light
  • Yellow Light
  • Green Light
  • Red Arrow
  • Yellow Arrow
  • Green Arrow
  • Flashing Yellow Arrow
  • Flashing Red Light
  • Flashing Yellow Light
  • Lane Signals
  • Ramp Signals
  • Construction/Maintenance Signs & Signals
  • Drawbridge Signs & Signals
  • Drawbridge Signal
  • Pedestrian Signs & Signals
  • Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon
  • Railroad Crossing Signs & Signals
  • School Zone Signs & Signals
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 11 · source p. 67

Chapter 7: Driving Safety

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Inspect Your Vehicle
  • Backing Up
  • Blind Spots
  • Perception Distance
  • Reaction Distance
  • Braking Distance
  • Total Stopping Distance
  • Following Distances
  • Following Distance For Trucks
  • Intersections
  • Driveways
  • Open Intersections
  • Roundabouts
  • Multi-Lane Roundabouts.
  • Limited Access Highways
  • Access Highways
  • When Entering A Limited Access
  • When Leaving A Limited Access
  • Reminders
  • Move Over Law On a Multi-Lane Roadway On a Two-Lane Roadway
  • Parking
  • Parking on Hills
  • Straight-in Parking
  • It’s Against the Law to Park
  • Downhill
  • Uphill with Curb
  • Uphill without Curb
  • Passing
  • Being Passed
  • Passing on the Right
  • Right-of-Way
  • Speed Limits
  • Florida Standard Speed Limits
  • Stopping
  • Traffic Lanes
  • HOV Lanes
  • Red Reflectors on Lane Lines
  • Turning
  • 8. Special Driving Situations
  • Three-Point Turns
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 12 · source p. 79

Chapter 8: Special Driving Situations

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Animals
  • Low Visibility
  • Rain
  • Night Driving
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 13 · source p. 83

Chapter 9: Handling Emergencies

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Defensive Driving
  • Interacting with Law Enforcement a Crash
  • Stay at the Scene
  • Hit And Run Penalties
  • First Aid
  • Treat For Shock
  • Avoiding Rear-End Collisions
  • Breakdowns/Disabled Vehicles
  • Emergency Braking
  • Fire
  • Jammed Gas Pedal
  • Overcorrection
  • Power Outage
  • Right Wheels Off Pavement
  • Skidding/Hydroplaning
  • Stalled on Railroad Tracks
  • (Ens)
  • Submerged Vehicle
  • Tire Blowout
  • Lane
  • Wet Brakes
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 14 · source p. 89

Chapter 10: Sharing the Road

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Bicyclists
  • Rules for Motorists
  • Rules for Bicyclists
  • Bicyclist Safety Tips
  • Vehicles
  • Passing Commercial Vehicles
  • Emergency Vehicles
  • Funeral Processions
  • Golf Carts
  • Required Golf Cart Equipment
  • Required For Night Driving
  • Low-Speed Vehicles
  • Motorcycles and Mopeds
  • Riders
  • Pedestrians
  • Rules for Pedestrians
  • Pedestrian Safety Tips
  • Public Transit
  • School Buses
  • School Crossings
  • Slow Moving Vehicles
Open this handbook chapter

Chapter 15 · source p. 99

Chapter 11: Study Guide for Knowledge Exam

This chapter’s sections include:

  • Study Guide For Knowledge Exam
  • Check out all you can do at mydmvportal.flhsmv.gov
Open this handbook chapter

Turn the reading into a study routine

The Florida course groups the source material into 10 units. Each lesson includes handbook page references, examples, and a checkpoint in the study app.

Unit 1 · 8 lessons

Getting Your License

Who needs one, documents, teen rules, exams

  1. Who needs a license, and which class
  2. Applying: the three document steps and primary ID
  3. Social Security, secondary ID and proof of address
  4. Learner's license and teen driving limits
  5. Medical rules and restriction codes
  6. ID cards and special designations
  7. Changes, replacement, renewal and fees
  8. The vision, knowledge and driving tests

Unit 2 · 8 lessons

Your Driving Privilege

Insurance, DUI, points, courses, suspensions

  1. The No-Fault insurance law
  2. Financial responsibility and license misuse
  3. DUI, implied consent and penalties
  4. Zero tolerance, drug laws and DUI hearings
  5. Littering, school buses and speeding penalties
  6. The point system
  7. Suspension, revocation and cancellation
  8. Crashes and driver improvement courses

Unit 3 · 5 lessons

You the Driver

Fitness, distraction, alcohol, drugs, emotions

  1. Physical health and older drivers
  2. Distracted driving
  3. Drinking and driving
  4. Drowsy and drugged driving
  5. Emotions and road rage

Unit 4 · 6 lessons

Your Vehicle

Registration, equipment, brakes, towing, belts

  1. Registration, title and plates
  2. Required equipment standards
  3. Banned equipment and driver assistance systems
  4. Brakes, bumpers and emissions
  5. Trailers, towing and loads
  6. Safety belts, child seats and air bags

Unit 5 · 8 lessons

Signs and Pavement Markings

Lines, lanes, sign colors, regulatory and warning signs

  1. Edge lines and lane lines
  2. Stop lines, crosswalks, turn and bike lanes
  3. Sign colors, guide signs and stop/yield signs
  4. Regulatory signs: speed, lanes and turns
  5. Regulatory signs: direction, passing and parking
  6. Warning signs: intersections, merges and speed
  7. Warning signs: curves and crossings
  8. Warning signs: road surface, bridges and hills

Unit 6 · 5 lessons

Traffic Signals

Lights, arrows, work zones, railroads, pedestrians

  1. Traffic lights and arrows
  2. Flashing lights, lane and ramp signals
  3. Work zones and drawbridges
  4. Railroad crossings
  5. Pedestrian signals and school zones

Unit 7 · 4 lessons

Driving Safety Fundamentals

Pre-drive checks, stopping, following, intersections

  1. Pre-drive checks, backing up and blind spots
  2. Perception, reaction and stopping distance
  3. Following distance
  4. Intersections, right-of-way and roundabouts

Unit 8 · 8 lessons

Highways, Parking, and Turning

Expressways, Move Over, parking, passing, speed, turns

  1. Limited access highways
  2. The Move Over law
  3. How to park, including on hills
  4. Where you may not park
  5. Passing safely and legally
  6. Speed limits and smooth stops
  7. Traffic lanes, HOV lanes and red reflectors
  8. Turning, signals and three-point turns

Unit 9 · 7 lessons

Special Situations and Emergencies

Weather, night, traffic stops, crashes, vehicle emergencies

  1. Animals and low visibility
  2. Rain, hydroplaning and night driving
  3. Defensive driving and being pulled over
  4. Talking with the officer at a traffic stop
  5. After a crash: your duties, first aid and shock
  6. Rear-end risks, breakdowns and emergency braking
  7. Skids, blowouts, water and other emergencies

Unit 10 · 8 lessons

Sharing the Road

Bicycles, trucks, motorcycles, golf carts, pedestrians, buses

  1. Sharing the road with bicyclists
  2. Rules for bicyclists
  3. Trucks, buses and the No-Zone
  4. Emergency vehicles, funerals, transit and slow vehicles
  5. Motorcycles and mopeds
  6. Golf carts and low-speed vehicles
  7. Pedestrians
  8. School buses and school crossings