There are five critical Florida car accident laws that all drivers should know.
- Any driver involved in a car or motor vehicle collision is required by law to stop at the scene of the accident. More importantly, Florida law (§316.065, F.S.) also requires drivers to report the accident to law enforcement if injuries or damages “appear to exceed” $500.
- Florida is a “no-fault” insurance state which means drivers who have been in an accident must turn first to their own insurance plans to pay for their repairs and recovery costs—regardless of who is responsible for the accident! These no-fault insurance plans are also referred to as Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Property Damage Liability (PDL) coverage. (Please note: Florida’s PIP insurance system is currently in the process of being changed. Stay tuned for how this will impact you.)
- Florida’s currently PIP statutes require all drivers to show proof of an auto insurance policy with a minimum of $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) coverage and $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL) coverage. Again, should a car accident occur, each person would turn to their individual PIP coverage first.
- Florida operates according to the principle of “pure comparative fault” for assigning responsibility in an accident. Under this system, both parties in the accident essentially share fault or liability. These percentages of liability will then directly determine the amount of damages recoverable by each party.
- In general, the Florida statute of limitations for car, truck, and motorcycle accident cases is four years from the date of the accident. However, the statute of limitations for seeking medical attention is only fourteen days. And PIP will not cover any medical bills if you do not seek treatment within 14 days of the accident.
Learn More: