Florida traffic laws are generally focused on keeping Florida drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and everyone on Florida’s streets, roads, highways, interstates, sidewalks, and thoroughfares safe. In addition to making sure you drive your vehicle in a certain way and follow rules related to how motor vehicles can safely coexist on Florida roads, there are rules to ensure each motor vehicle on Florida’s roads is safely equipped, in good working order, and functioning in a manner so as not to endanger you or others.
Your vehicle needs to have certain equipment to ensure you can drive it safely. You need to have functioning brakes and brake lights to make sure others know when you are applying your brakes and slowing down. You need to have functioning turn signals so you can signal your intention to turn. If driving at night or in rain, smoke, or fog, you need functioning headlights and taillights to see the roadway and be seen by other vehicles. You also need to have a functioning light to illuminate your license plate so it can be seen at night.
If driving in the rain, you need functioning windshield wipers to keep your windshield clear and see. You need a windshield to protect you from bugs, birds, rain, and other airborne objects that could strike you, distract you, injure you, or cause an accident. There are also restrictions on tinting your windshield and windows to make sure visibility from your vehicle is not unduly impaired. Likewise, you need a rearview mirror so you can see the road and traffic behind you.
You also can’t be burning oil and spewing smoke all over the place from your car, SUV, truck, or other motor vehicle. Not only is that kind of smokescreen bad for the environment, if it’s thick enough, but it can also blind other drivers and cause motor vehicle accidents.
In addition to smoke pollution, your vehicle needs a functioning muffler to prevent excessive noise from your engine. Speaking of sound pollution, although you need a functioning horn, you can’t improperly install or use a locomotive whistle or horn in your vehicle on Florida roads, streets, highways, or interstates.
These motor vehicle equipment and Florida sound rules might sound complicated, but our firm’s traffic ticket lawyers have heard them all before. Florida Ticket Firm and its traffic citation defense attorneys are familiar with Florida Uniform Traffic Citations for faulty or improper motor vehicle equipment. Broken taillights, broken headlights, broken turn signals, broken mufflers, broken exhaust systems, broken rearview mirrors, and broken car windows don’t necessarily have to turn into a broken driving record.
Let Florida Ticket Firm address the ticket you received for improper or unsafe equipment on your motor vehicle. Call us at (813) 276-6000 now for a free consultation.
