Posted on 02/14/2013 7:41:12 AM PST by Squawk 8888
Canadians now require an international driving permit in addition to their provincial licences while driving in Florida after a state law quietly went into effect on New Year’s Day.
With March break just weeks away, CAA is alerting motorists about the change as it lobbies Florida state lawmakers to exclude Canadians from the rule, which applies to all non-U.S. residents. It is estimated that millions of Canadians visit Florida each year.
Florida passed the law so that its law-enforcement officials would not encounter driver’s licence documents in languages they could not read, according to CAA.
Despite its position on the law, CAA is urging Canadians to acquire an IDP if they plan to drive in Florida, be it in their own vehicle or a rental vehicle.
An IDP is a special driver’s licence that allows licensed motorists to drive in other countries without additional road tests or applications, and is proof that the holder possesses a valid licence in his or her home country, according to the Canadian government.
The IDP, which is translated into multiple languages, must be accompanied by a valid driver’s licence. The document is valid in all countries that have signed the 1949 Convention on Road Traffic and is recognized in many other countries.
Motorists can obtain an IDP at any CAA office for $25. CAA is the only organization in Canada that is authorized to issue the document.
any business would do the practical common sense thing and exclude the canadians.
the govt. can not do this or the Mexicans will cry foul.
Government can not do anything that is practical or common sense.
Ever been to Quebec? The signs are in French. I assume the drivers' licenses are, too.
Look, I have to get a freaking PASSPORT to travel to Canada. Yet, the Floridians are the bad guys for wanting not to have to train their officers in French?
Come on, people.
Florida has visitors from all parts of the world. Lately, Brazil has been providing a lot of revenue with their tourists. I’ve driven in Europe, Mexico and Canada without having to purchase an IDP. Surely, a Florida cop is able to read a license with a name, picture and dates on it.
What is more disturbing is a story in today’s Orlando Sentinel about a Canadian with a green card, who has a fruit and vegetable business in Winter Park that employs 20 people. He is being told that his visa will not be renewed and he must leave the country. His crime? His business does not employ any engineers, architects or other professionals.
This is why we have the multilateral DL treaty. The international proof of DL document is in multiple languages and also deals with DLs in less common languages.
ie japanese, arabic, russian, greek, italian, etc.
(no ebonics page)
There is no change in the law. This is a fluff piece to sell CAA memberships.
There’s a similar rule for pilots. My Canadian licence allows me to fly a Canadian-registered aircraft anywhere in the world, but I had to get an FAA certificate to rent aircraft in the USA. My certificate specifies that it’s only valid with my Canadian licence.
I don’t read French and I have never seen this document before, but I can read it and pick out birth date, expiration date, etc.
I’d have no problem reading that, but I grew up with bilingual labels on everything.
“Clearly a Canadian license can be read by a Florida police man.”
Do the licenses from Montreal have English translations? I know the rest of the provinces are required to translate everything into French, but I’m not sure if the law works the other way around.
I see it as a $25 extortion fee!!...Whats next...$25 out of state licensing fees?
Tons of Canadians winter in Fla....most with big ol honking RV’s..If they decide to go somewhere else it will be a net loss for Fla...Big time!
And the pix is not in French...
I spend a couple of weeks in Florida every winter.While there I’m amazed to see that half the cars have Ontario plates and a quarter have Quebec plates.Last month I even saw a couple of Alberta plates.Tourism is the most important part of the state’s economy and Canadians play a big role in that.What an absolutely foolish law.
I get an Intl Driver License whenever I go to Europe...just to be safe
It is just a document that translates someone’s DL into many languages
In FL there are tourists from everywhere....and the LEO in Orlando area are familiar with English, Spanish, and Hatian Creole. Not so familiar with Papiamento or Icelandic
Added benefit is that this law will help catch Illegal Alien drivers....until La Raza or Marco Rubio starts calling the law racist
Yep ... it works out.
My WV DL is accepted without question in UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand ...
Because it's in English. If it weren't, I'd have to get the IDL. No big deal, or shouldn't be.
I read and speak French moderately well (a fact which I do NOT reveal to Quebec businesses and government entities which I must sometimes deal with) ... So I have no problem with it. Someone who is of average intelligence, and literate in English only, may have issues. And if the law says it must be written in English ... that document doesn’t qualify.
Driving through Ontario last year on "the 401"...which is one of their major highways...I saw a couple of huge signs saying that if you're caught doing more than "X" number of kph over the speed limit you can get a $10,000 fine.I can't remember what that figure was and I don't understand kph but that's a whole lotta cash.Maybe that's why they drive slowly.I drive in Quebec from time to time and don't recall ever seeing such a sign so maybe it's not a national thing.
Mlle. Lapointe n'est pas coupable.
It might not be plain English but I can tell she has an expired license.
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