According to the State of Florida website, more than 75 million people visit Florida each year making the Sunshine State the top travel destination in the world. Florida boasts over 1200 miles of sandy beaches where visitors and residents can frolic in the warm ocean waters and Intracoastal waterways.
Coastal beach towns offer visitors the opportunity to slow down and relax, but can also present a variety of dangerous situations. Before planning a vacation to Florida it is important to become educated about water safety, protected wildlife and environments, and fishing, driving and pedestrian laws.
Florida Pedestrians Have Right of Way
Florida pedestrian crosswalks are marked with a bright yellow sign with silhouettes of one or two people walking. These signs are often accompanied by a rectangular sign with the words 'Ped Xing' and streets are painted with white lines.
Coastal region speed limits range between 25 and 45 miles per hour, so drivers must heed caution when stopping for pedestrians. Since many visitors are unaware of pedestrian laws, rear-end collisions can occur. Always check rear and side mirrors and alert upcoming drivers by gently tapping brakes. Failure to stop for pedestrians can result in a $141 fine.
Florida "Move Over" Act
Details of Florida's Move Over Act and driving laws are provided at the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle website.
Sharks, Stingrays, Jellyfish and Portuguese Man of War
Florida's waterways are filled with sharks, stingrays, jellyfish and Portuguese Man of War. These creatures can and do inflict bites and stings which can be fatal. However, instead of being fearful, visitors should take time to become educated about creatures of the sea and what to do in the event of a bite or sting.
Sharks typically enter shallow water to feed during early morning and sunset hours. According to International Shark Attack File, the highest number of shark bites in Florida occur between the months of June through October. Sharks are drawn by the smell of blood so never enter the water when bleeding and immediately head for shore if injury resulting in blood loss occurs in the water.
Stingray injuries can be extremely painful and can result in death if the victim experiences an allergic reaction to the venomous poison. Stingrays can be hard to spot because they often bury in the sand. One of the easiest ways to prevent stingray injuries is to shuffle your feet as you walk. While this doesn't guarantee you will never be stung by a Ray, it can reduce chances of receiving a painful barb sting.
Sea Nettle jellyfish range in color from transparent with white spots, to milky white or reddish hues and range in size from 1- to 4-inches across. Moon jellyfish have a bluish-hue, short tentacles, and range in size from 1- to 10-inches across. Both emit stings that can cause temporary paralysis or stinging sensation throughout the body.Portuguese Man of War jellyfish often wash ashore on beaches during summer months. These jellyfish look like a blue bubble and can inflict an extremely painful sting that results in nausea, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, headache, painful breathing, muscle spasms and red skin lesions. Visitors should pay close attention when walking and never, ever allow children to pick up blue bubbles resting on the sand.
One exceptional source for learning about what lurks in Florida's waters is BeachHunter.net. This website provides a 72-page Beach Safety report covering a wide range of common hazards including shark bites, helping a shark bite victim, treating a stingray injury or jellyfish sting, drowning prevention tips, understanding rip currents, surfing safety, treating sunburn, heat exhaustion and sunstroke, and much more.
Saltwater Fish Have Teeth (and some are poisonous!)
Multiple deep sea fishing charters are available throughout the Sunshine State. Some are private charters which can accommodate two or more guests, while public charters allow 50 or more people to fish at the same time.
Saltwater fishing can be quite dangerous because most species have teeth and others inflict stings from venomous barbs. It is common to catch Lemon, Nurse, Blacktip, Hammerhead and Bonnethead sharks in Florida waters. Venomous fish include lionfish, scorpionfish, stonefish, and saltwater catfish.
A complete guide to Florida's saltwater and freshwater fish, along with fishing regulations and fishing license information is available Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website.
Rip Currents and Beach Safety Tips
Inexperienced swimmers should only swim in areas where lifeguards are present and never swim alone. All swimmers should avoid swimming near piers and jetties because these areas have permanent rip currents.
- Beach goers should be aware of flags used along Florida beaches.
- Green flags mean conditions are calm.
- Yellow flags warn of moderate surf and rip currents.
- Red flags warn of high hazards including high surf and strong currents.
- Purple flags warn of dangerous marine life.
- When red and purple flags are present together, beaches are closed to the public.
Florida Boating Regulations
Each year an average of 50 people lose their lives to boating accidents in the state of Florida. Most fatalities stem from reckless driving which is often the result of drug or alcohol consumption.
Most people wouldn't drive their car around while consuming alcohol and operating a boat is no different. Drinking and boating do not mix and can result in serious injury or death. Not to mention it's illegal.
Become educated about boater safety before stepping foot on any type of boat. Tragedy can be avoided by learning how to properly operate a boat, use of life jackets and boat safety protocol. Everything you need to know about boating laws and regulations is available at Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website.
Driving on Florida Beaches
Extreme caution should be taken when driving and parking on the beach. Drivers must always be on the lookout for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as changing tide cycles. The speed limit for driving on the beach is 10mph and strictly enforced. Speeding fines start at $131.
Residents and tourists can drive on Daytona and New Smyrna beaches between the hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. from May 1 to October 31, and between sunrise and sunset from November 1 and April 30.
Visitors must purchase a beach driving pass which currently cost $10 per vehicle per day. Florida residents can purchase seasonal passes for $25, while annual non-resident passes cost $100. Driving passes can be purchased at beach toll booths.
Protected Wildlife and Environments
Florida is home to many endangered species including manatees, sea turtles, bald eagles, Florida panthers, and American crocodile. Many coastal regions boast a bounty of natural dunes which are protected under Florida law.
Boaters must heed signs posted in areas where manatees are known to migrate. These no-wake areas require boaters to throttle down in order to prevent deadly encounters with the slow-moving sea cows.
Visitors to Florida state parks and dunes are prohibited from removing vegetation, insects, reptiles or wildlife. Visitors must remain on designated paths and walkways and are prohibited from walking on protected dunes.
Learn more about endangered wildlife and protected environments from Florida Wildlife Conservation website.
