ORLANDO, Fla. – News 6 traffic safety expert Trooper Steve Montiero answers viewer questions about the rules of the road every week, helping Orlando-area residents become better drivers by being better educated.
We do get random waves of pretty intense crashes throughout Central Florida. Recently, there’s been a spike of a lot of younger drivers either being involved in serious crashes or being pulled over for extreme traffic violations.
I wanted to remind parents and young drivers that it’s not only tickets that will get a driver’s license suspended or altered.
Here are a few of the things that could hinder a driver who is 15 to 17 years old.
The state of Florida grants authority to a parent or a guardian to easily rescind their minor’s driver’s license. This can be done with a simple form and for no justifiable reason other than the parent wants the license rescinded.
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With adult drivers 18 years or older, it takes 12 points in 12 months to suspend a driver’s license. But when it comes to teen drivers, if you receive six or more points within 12 months, that license immediately becomes a business purchase license for one year.
Something to be very cautious about is if you are driving on a learner’s permit. This is a time when a driver should be paying very close attention. If you were to receive a moving violation and be convicted for that violation, then your one-year waiting period to receive your Class-E license starts all over on the day of conviction.
I remember being a teen driver and thinking only the DMV or the police could affect my license, but that is not the case. If you decide you are not going to attend school regularly, school attendance can affect your license, and either stall or suspend it.
There is also the tobacco violation that comes with driving consequences. If a minor is caught with tobacco, not only do they face fines for that violation but also a possible 30-day suspension of their license.
Visit the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles for more information.