International Driving Permit (IDP) in Florida: CAA-Quebec confirms the law's repeal

QUEBEC CITY, April 2, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Now that Florida authorities have finally set aside the new requirement for all foreign drivers to hold a valid International Driving Permit (IDP), CAA-Quebec is pleased and relieved to see that the efforts of recent weeks have paid off. In fact, the Governor of Florida signed just today the document officializing the legislative changes.

"We welcome this return to normal and wish to inform all Quebecers who are preparing for a stay in Florida that there is no longer a legal obligation to have an IDP to drive there,"  says Sophie Gagnon, Assistant Vice President, Public and Government Relations, for CAA-Quebec. In February the organization learned, to its great astonishment, about the quiet introduction of this measure effective January 1, 2013, with no prior announcement.

CAA-Quebec quickly reacted, joining forces with the Canadian and American Automobile Associations (CAA/AAA) to condemn this measure and have it changed. Today, it is delighted with this turnabout, which demonstrates that Sunshine State authorities are giving due consideration to the importance of the many visitors — including hundreds of thousands of Quebecers — to its large tourism industry.

"The adoption and implementation of this legislative change creates a much clearer and more reassuring context than the tolerance that local authorities had been asking for, up to now, from those responsible for enforcing the law," Ms. Gagnon explains. "The CAA in fact reported some isolated cases of people having had problems because of this situation. So we are very satisfied and can assert that CAA-Quebec contributed to this happy outcome by taking part in the decisive joint action of the CAA and AAA."

The IDP is a piece of identification that complements a local driving licence and that serves essentially as a recognized official translation in some 10 languages. It is very useful — and even mandatory — for many destinations. CAA-Quebec is the organization authorized by the government to issue IDPs in Quebec.

CAA-Quebec, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1904, provides automotive, travel, residential and financial services and privileges to its 1,210,000 members.

SOURCE: CAA-QUEBEC

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Cédric Essiminy
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