Welcome to

Warning an on coming driver there’s a speed trap ahead by flashing your headlights is legal in Florida. But between 2005 and 2010, 24-hundred drivers were wrongfully ticketed for flashing their lights. Drivers filed suit. The Florida Highway Patrol stopped pulling drivers over for the practice and now, as Whitney Ray tells us, lawmakers have passed a bill making sure no one is pulled over for flashing their lights.

Bob Reese and his wife Betty cover a lot of asphalt in their RV. Every year they drive from Ohio to winter in Florida and when they see a speed trap, they let everyone know.

“I let them know that they are going to get a ticket if you don’t slow down,” said Bob.

Bob’s sister June has been on the receiving end of a speed trap warnings.

“It brings you consciousness of what’s going on and you look down to see “am I speeding,” said June.

Neither driver has ever been ticketed for flashing their lights at oncoming traffic, but others haven’t been so lucky. Between 2005 and 2010, 24-hundred drivers were fined, under a law banning drivers from mounting emergency lights on their cars.

“I’m sure that they frown on it because they can’t catch the person that’s doing wrong,” said June.

Drivers sued, and the Florida Highway Patrol stopped writing tickets.

Drivers flash their headlights for a whole host of reasons. Flashing your lights is a common way to let another driver know their headlights are off or their brights are on. It also signals truck drivers to let them know they have enough room to safely move over.

Karen Cater has been driving a truck for 12 years. She says it’s the code of the road to warn a fellow truck driver.

“Because they are hiding and if we see something we let the other ones know. We look out for each other. We are family,” Karen.

State lawmakers passed a bill on the last day of session forbidding police from ticking drivers for flashing their lights. It’s a warning to cops, telling them they can’t stop drivers from blowing their cover. The legislation awaits the governor’s signature. And as for those tickets that were written before FHP stopped the practice, they were for 115 dollars plus court costs.