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Florida Makes Slight Move Toward Motorcycle Safety

By Eddie Farah

Motorcycle Training Just Got Tougher In Florida

By Eddie Farah on June 27, 2008

Those who plan to obtain a motorcycle licence in Florida have until July 1 to do so without further training.

That's when a new Florida law will require all motorcyclists, regardless of their age and experience, to take a basic rider course through the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The course must be taken before a rider can have the motorcycle endorsement added to their driver's license.

After completing the course, the teacher will transmit the results electronically to the state to then contact the rider to apply to the nearest driver license office for the endorsement.

There is also a number to find a test site (850) 488- 3286 and the Web site is: http://motorcycles.hsmv.state.fl.us/

After July 1, anyone driving a motorcycle without the endorsement will be violating the law.

Florida still allows a person, 21 or older, to ride a motorcycle without a helmet if they carry proof of an insurance policy providing for at least $10,000 in medical benefits for injuries incurred as a result of a crash on a motorcycle. Those under 21 operating motorcycles, or riding as a passenger, must wear a Department approved motorcycle helmet.

And anyone operating a motorcycle must wear eye protection.

This is a small move to make motorcycles safer, especially at a time when more are riding them as alternatives to gas guzzlers. Hundreds of lives could be saved every year with a tougher mandatory helmet law, but there is much resistance to mandating safety from those who love the freedom of the road.

Federal statistics show there were 76,000 injuries among motorcycle riders and more than 4,000 killed in 2004.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Full post as published by Jacksonville Personal Injury Lawyer on June 27, 2008 (boomark / email).