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Stop sign tickets in Florida are just like the local wildlife: they’re everywhere and (most of the time) they’re vicious. These tickets are more common than you might think. In 2019 alone, Florida drivers received more than 84,000 stop sign tickets. And with each of those tickets came the potential for hefty fines, fees, and other penalties.
Stop Sign Laws in Florida
Florida’s stop sign laws (codified in the Florida Statutes §316.123) are similar to those of other states. The main similarity is that the law requires you to come to a full and complete stop. Failing to do so is one of the easiest ways to get a ticket for violating this law.
Stop signs require you to stop. The only exception to this rule is when you are in an emergency situation and cannot stop without putting yourself or others at risk. An example of this is when the road is engulfed in flame. For obvious reasons, the state is not going to require you to sit there and bake. That Florida heat is hot enough as is!
But that rule isn’t the only rule in Florida’s stop sign laws. The laws also cover right of way, who has it, and when you’ll need to yield it. To know whether you have the right of way at an intersection, ask yourself a few important questions.
- Is there a crosswalk?
If there is a crosswalk, you do not have the right of way. Instead, the pedestrians using or waiting to use the crosswalk do. State law requires that you yield the right of way to any and all pedestrians at crosswalks.
- Is another vehicle already in the intersection?
If another vehicle is already lawfully using the intersection, then the driver of that vehicle has the right of way. Yield to them. If you think this is hard to remember, think of the old saying “first come, first serve.” They were there first, so they get to use it first. This does not apply if the driver of that vehicle is breaking traffic laws.
- Did another vehicle stop at the intersection at the same time as me? If so, is the other vehicle turning?
If another vehicle stopped at the intersection before you, they have the right of way. If they stopped at the intersection at the exact same time as you and are across from you (oncoming traffic), then they only have the right of way if they are turning.
How Long Do You Have To Stop at a Stop Sign?
When stopping at a stop sign in Florida, coming to a stop is not enough to satisfy the law. There’s a little more to it than that. There is no time requirement for how long you have to stop at the sign. There are, however, other requirements.
One of those requirements is that you must stop long enough for the person who has the right of way to finish lawfully using the roadway that you wish to access. For example, if a pedestrian is crossing the road at a legally marked crosswalk while you are stopped at a stop sign, you will need to wait until that pedestrian has reached the other side.
Depending on the circumstances of your situation (such as which county you’re driving in and whether you’re carrying restricted materials), you might also be required to wait for any hazards to pass. That is, the law might require you to stop and wait until you’re certain that proceeding would not pose a hazard to yourself or others.
Where Is One Required To Stop?
Where the law requires you to stop varies depending on the markings near the stop sign. In general, there are three possible situations you might encounter in Florida (this list is not exhaustive): intersections, crosswalks, and limit lines.
Let’s start by talking about intersections. Stop signs are most commonly found at three-way (T) or four-way (+) intersections. When such an intersection is marked with a stop sign but no other signage or markings, the law requires that you stop before entering the intersection. A good rule of thumb is one car length before the stop sign. Do not pass the stop sign without stopping.
Next up, we have crosswalks. Any time a stop sign is accompanied by a crosswalk, the law requires you to come to a full and complete stop before entering the crosswalk. A good rules of thumb for this scenario is to stop one car length before reaching the crosswalk (further away if people are using the crosswalk).
However, if the crosswalk is on the other side of the intersection, you will need to stop before entering the intersection. Wait until the individuals with the right of way have finished using the crosswalk. As a reminder, all pedestrians who are lawfully using the crosswalk have the right of way.
Last of our three common examples is the limit line. A limit line is a pavement marking drawn perpendicular to the road. It typically starts right next to the stop sign itself. This is the line that you have to stop before crossing. Stop one car length in front of the limit line. Do not pass it until after coming to a full and complete stop and yielding the right of way (if required).
What Is a Flashing Red Light?
Flashing red traffic lights are a form of stop lights. They function identically to stop signs. To better understand what these are, let’s compare them to standard solid red traffic lights.
Solid red traffic lights require you to stop and wait until the light turns green. As we’re sure you’re aware, stop signs do not change to green. Neither will flashing red lights. Flashing red lights follow the same rules as stop signs. Here are a couple examples:
- Solid red light: Stop and wait for the light to turn green.
- Flashing red light: Stop and wait until you have the right of way.
- Stop sign: Stop and wait until you have the right of way.
Fines for Stop Sign Violations in Florida
The fine for stop sign violations in Florida can vary depending on which county the violation occurred in. What doesn’t vary, however, is the number of points that can be assigned to your driving record after a conviction for violating Florida’s stop sign laws.
The fine for one of these violations will typically be around $179. That fine must be paid in addition to any court fees or other costs that come to be associated with your ticket. Those additional charges will be determined by the court and might not be the same for everybody.
In addition to the fine, the court can recommend the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) impose up to three points on your driving record. If you earn more than 12 points in a 12-month period, then your license will be suspended for 30 days. Earn more than 18 points in an 18-month period and your license will be suspended for three full months.
The worst financial penalty of stop sign tickets in Florida, however, isn’t the fine. Rather, it’s the subsequent increase to your insurance premiums. According to The Zebra, a car insurance research group, similar violations tend to increase insurance premiums by 22.7%. If you’re paying the state’s average for car insurance (which was $2,059 in 2019), then a conviction for this violation could result in you paying an additional $467.40 each year for the next several years.
How Long Do You Have To Pay a Stop Sign Ticket?
Florida courts give you 30 days to respond to stop sign tickets. In that time, you will need to resolve the dispute in court and get it dismissed, obtain a deferral, or pay the balance in full. This is the case for almost all traffic citations in the state, no matter which county you live in.
Failure to pay the ticket’s balance (or get the ticket dismissed) within that time frame can result in you being charged with Failure to Respond or Failure to Pay. Either of those two violations will have separate cases tied to them and can result in serious financial and legal consequences if you’re convicted of them as well.
Hire an Attorney To Fight Your Ticket or Pay Through appwinit.com
If you’ve recently been issued a traffic ticket for failing to stop at a stop sign in Florida, don’t fret. You have options. There are plenty of ways to get out of Florida traffic tickets without breaking the bank.
To get started protecting your license, download the WinIt app or head over to www.appwinit.com and speak with local traffic ticket attorneys today. The Florida traffic lawyers available on the WinIt have years of experience fighting tickets just like these and have proven track records of helping people achieve more favorable legal outcomes.
If you’d rather not fight your ticket and instead want to shoulder all of the consequences of a guilty verdict, WinIt’s convenient payment portal can still help.
