Florida now requires Canadian drivers carry an international driving permit

[Temporary_User]

Originally Posted by sa226

As long as this is the same thing I think it is. There is either some other motive behind this or a huge cash grab.

All the IDP does is translate your licence into the local language. I purchased one to drive in France. There is even debate about whether it is necessary in European countries that speak another language.

That is exactly what it is for, the translation.
This isn't Florida requiring Canadians, it is Florida requiring everyone. A non issue.

[driveway]

I love my International Driver's Permit: it's insanely easy to counterfeit (extend) and is essentially a free pass for almost any traffic violation I could possibly commit on a 125cc scooter.
Including but not limited to: speeding, illegal u-turn, driving on the sidewalk, driving while intoxicated, illegal parking, illegal left turn, illegal right turn, and driving the wrong way down a one-way-street.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by Temporary_User

That is exactly what it is for, the translation.
This isn't Florida requiring Canadians, it is Florida requiring everyone. A non issue.

The issue is, Florida can't require it of everyone when their country doesn't. And if translation is the only benefit, why not require it of those with non-English licenses?

Just a shortsighted law that doesn't really do anything but inconvenience the majority of visitors to their state. There is no benefit to Floridians or tourists.

[Temporary_User]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

The issue is, Florida can't require it of everyone when their country doesn't. And if translation is the only benefit, why not require it of those with non-English licenses?

Just a shortsighted law that doesn't really do anything but inconvenience the majority of visitors to their state. There is no benefit to Floridians or tourists.

Is the bolded true? I question if it is or not. It's a state, they should be able to require it if they deem it necessary.
The second part: well it is a lot easier to ban all international licenses than to research every single country in the world to determine if their license is in English or not. Then there are countries like Canada where there are instances of having multiple languages within a country.

[Jimmy Stang]

The Florida Highway Patrol said this in a statement:

"It has come to the Department’s attention that this requirement may violate the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (1949), an international treaty to which the United States is a signatory. Treaties to which the United States is a party preempt state laws in conflict with them."

Obviously the lawyers and politicians will have a few things to say. But requiring an IDP for North Americans to travel to another part of North America is apparently unprecedented.