The Tribune

By CHESTER ROBARDS

Tribune Senior Reporter

crobards@tribunemedia.net

FLORIDA almost tacked-on an extra $50 to Bahamians’ Sunshine State vacation budgets.

The popular shopping/vacation destination for Bahamians had planned to require all international visitors to hold an international drivers licence in addition to their country-issued documents if they were planning to drive a vehicle.

However, the plan to enforce the international drivers licence law has been deferred, as the state’s legislature found its enforcement could contravene a Geneva Convention on road traffic.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) released a statement saying: “Highway Patrol will defer enforcement of a law that requires visitors from outside the United States to have an International Driving Permit to drive lawfully in Florida. The statement explained that the law may potentially conflict with an international treaty.
“The department understands the concerns of the international community and is working with its partners to ensure that visitors are not inconvenienced.”

The statement added that the DHSMV will be working with the Florida legislature to ensure that “the law reflects Florida’s rich history of welcoming our friends from around the world to the Sunshine State”, which means the law could still be enforced in the future.

According to the Bahamas government’s website, an international drivers licence can be obtained from the Road Traffic Department at a cost of $50.

While the Florida law was set to come into effect at the beginning of this year, one travel agent told The Tribune she had not heard of the move.

And, according to thestar.com, car rental companies are still requiring nothing more than a valid drivers licence.