A SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON - The holiday season is a peak travel period for families nationwide. Florida is no exception, with its inviting climate and numerous vacation options. The festive season typically produces a high volume of motor vehicle traffic; the
Florida Highway Patrol will increase its presence on our highways and will patrol Florida’s high volume roadways during the holiday period.
Troopers will direct their enforcement efforts toward impaired driving, speeding, following too closely and other aggressive driving behavior. In addition, troopers will strictly enforce safety belt and child restraint laws.
The Florida Highway Patrol offers safety tips to help you and your family arrive at your destination safely:
• Get plenty of rest before setting out on a long trip
• Observe and obey all speed limits
• Allow plenty of time to reach your destinations
• Drive sober, and only sober
• Buckle up!
• Eliminate distractions: Texting, talking on the phone, eating, adjusting the stereo – these are all examples of things that can take your eyes off the road, which is exactly what you want to avoid.
• Prepare your vehicle: Check fluids for proper levels, i.e. oil, gas and windshield wipers, and ensure your tires have adequate pressure and are in good condition.
May all of you have a happy and safe holiday season!
SEAT BELTS COULD SAVE MORE THAN 4,000 - On any given day
about 38 U.S. passenger vehicle occupants who are not buckled up are killed in motor vehicle crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Seat belt use is at a record high of 85 percent nationwide, but 45 million Americans still fail to buckle up when they get in a motor vehicle.
In 2008 nearly 13,000 people who were unbuckled lost their lives on U.S.
Buckle- up, it is Florida law!
CUSTOMER SERVICE INITIATIVE: The
Division of Driver Licenses implemented a Customer Service Initiative named
“Miami CSI” from July 26, 2010 through November 4, 2010. Members from the Department proactively joined together to address the increased customer wait times in many of our offices in Miami-Dade County and some parts of Broward County. Volunteers from other offices around the state worked together to heighten customer service by assisting with the screening of documents, administering driving tests and issuing credentials to our clients.
The results of the 15 week customer service initiative were 327,127 customers served during that time period. During the same period in 2009, 287,873 customers were served. This is a 13.64% increase in customers served over the same period last year or 39,254 more customers processed in those 15 weeks. Some of the service improvement included changed customer flow patterns in offices, increased examiner productivity and serving 7,630 customers prior to the 8 a.m. office opening schedule.
The Department has developed a strategic long-term plan to address the increased customer volume and wait times in offices, which includes quickly filling personnel vacancies in that area, moving personnel vacancies from other areas of the state to ensure adequate permanent staffing coverage. Thanks to all the members who work so hard each day throughout the state, and all of our members who volunteered to travel to South Florida to pitch in!
TOW-TO-GO OFFERED DURING THE HOLIDAYS - AAA Auto Club South and Budweiser will offer their Tow-to-Go program from Nov. 24 through Jan. 2, 2011. Tow-to-Go provides a confidential ride home and tow, free of charge, to anyone who may have had too much to drink. Since 1998, the program is credited with keeping more than 12,300 drunk drivers off the roads and is designed to protect everyone on the roads from preventable car crashes, not just the intoxicated driver from a DUI. For more information call 1-800-AAA-HELP or visit
http://www.aaasouth.com/newsandsafety/tow_to_go.aspx
FLORIDA ORGAN AND TISSUE DONOR PROGRAM - Through the miracle of transplantation, many people are living healthy, productive lives. However, the need for donated organs and tissues continues to outpace the supply. Right now, there are thousands who would be helped if more of us became organ and tissue donors. Organ and tissue donations provide each of us with a special opportunity to help others. Donation of vital organs and tissues can save lives where no other hope is available. Heart, liver, lung and kidney transplants save lives everyday. Additionally, bone, skin and cornea transplants often restore sight and save burn victims. For more information, please visit:
http://www.flhsmv.gov/html/organ_donor.html.
LEARN ABOUT AGING AND DRIVING: The majority of older drivers are good drivers. But as we age, most of us will need to take steps to ensure that we can continue to drive safely. Changes in our visual, physical and mental abilities will affect each of us in different ways. That is why the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and its partners have created "Florida GrandDriver®."
The goals of the Florida GrandDriver® program are to promote your continued driving safety, enhance your ability to get around your community when and where you want.
You can learn more about Driver Refresher Courses and other related subjects by visiting links to the following websites at AARP, AAA, Florida Mature Vision Test Requirements, Reporting an Unsafe Driver , Tips for Safe Driving
MAKE SURE TO BRING ALL YOU NEED:
Florida residents wishing to obtain a new driver license or identification card, legally change their name prior to their renewal date, or immediately replace a lost or stolen license or ID card,
must come prepared with the proper documentation. The time you will spend completing your transaction on the first visit is directly related to providing us with the required proper documentation. The complete list of acceptable documents is available online at
http://www.gathergoget.com./ Here is a summary of the requirements:
1)
Identification – A certified U.S. birth certificate; a valid U.S. passport; a consular Report of Birth Abroad; a certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550 or N-570); or a certificate of Citizenship (Form N-560 or N-561).
2)
Social Security Number – Card, W-2 form, any 1099 form or paycheck stub.
3)
Residential Address – Two (2) items mailed to you that contain your address. Acceptable is a mortgage statement, voter ID card, a utility bill or a car insurance policy, among many others.
Anyone who has changed their name
must bring marriage certificates, court orders or divorce decrees to connect the name on the primary identification to the name of the customer and the name in which the license or ID card will be issued.
U.S. citizens, permanent residents, immigrants and non-immigrants can secure a complete list of documents to bring to one of our offices by visiting
http://www.gathergoget.com/, or
http://www.reunavengaobtenga.com/ in Spanish, or
http://www.rasanblealepran.com/ in Creole.
YOUR EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION: The Department’s Emergency Contact Information program is a tool that law enforcement can use to do just that. The award-winning program reached a new milestone with 3.5 million Floridians taking advantage of the service. The system allows licensed drivers and identification card holders to submit two contacts to notify in the event of an emergency, such as a vehicle crash. The information can then be accessed only by law enforcement officers to find designated contacts in the case of an emergency. Registration is quick and convenient.
It can be completed in a state or tax collector operated driver license office or from the convenience of home or at work through the Internet at
www.flhsmv.gov/eci. There is no cost to register your contact information. Help us spread the word, tell a friend how to register online or follow us on Twitter at @FDHSMV or check out the Department’s Facebook page dedicated to ECI.
MAKE YOUR APPOINTMENT WELL IN ADVANCE! All customers who must visit one of our offices to renew, replace, or file a change of address to their driver license or identification card, are urged to secure an appointment well in advance of their visit. Connect via Internet at
http://www.flhsmv.gov/oasis for an appointment that will greatly reduce the length of the visit. Also link to the on-line pre-application and complete it before coming to one of our offices.
OFFICE HOURS: Florida Driver License offices are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Testing guidelines, that continue to provide excellent customer service, call for the start of the last oral examination and CDL test to begin each day at 3:30 p.m. The last written examinations and driving tests begin each day at 4:30 p.m. Please check our website at
www.flhsmv.gov/offices/ for the most up-to-date information on office locations and schedules.
