TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A bill awaiting Gov. Ron DeSantis' signature would allow drivers in the state to start doing something on the road that has been illegal for years-- use their hazard lights.
A transportation bill, spanning 38-pages, that passed the Florida Legislature this year includes one sentence that would let Florida drivers legally warn other drivers on the road they're going slow.
But the law isn't a blanket application, there are rules about where and in what conditions the already tempting act is allowed. The ability to use your hazard or flashing lights would be reserved for periods of "extremely low visibility" on roads with a speed limit of 55 miles per hour or faster.
Should Gov. DeSantis not veto the bill, it will take effect on July 1.
The change goes against the idea that driving with your hazards on puts other drivers at risk and should instead be limited to when a car is legally stopped or disabled on the side of the road, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
But, if you've lived in Florida long enough, or have paid the Sunshine State a visit during the rainy season, you know seeing drivers with their hazards on during the state's notorious downpours is common.
Some drivers say they were unaware the act is currently prohibited.
“I had no idea,” a driver previously told 10 Tampa Bay. “In all these years of seeing this, I had no idea that’s illegal at all.”
According to AAA, Florida is among only 10 states in the U.S. that do not allow for an exception for drivers to use their hazards while driving.
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