8 Things to Know Before Visiting Florida Beaches

According to the State of Florida website, more than 70 million tourists 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 driving, fishing and pedestrian laws.

Florida Pedestrians Have Right of Way

Many visitors fail to realize that pedestrians have the right of way in the state of Florida. The heaviest concentration of pedestrian crosswalks is found along coastal regions, particularly in tourist areas with multiple hotels and condominiums.

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

In 2002, Florida enacted the "Move Over" Act which requires drivers to move over or slow down for all types of emergency vehicles. When drivers encounter police cars, fire trucks, ambulances or roadside assistance tow trucks pulled over on Florida interstates and roads they must slow down and move over into another lane when it is safe.

The Florida Move Over Act requires drivers to reduce their speed by 20 mph less than the posted speed limit in areas where the speed limit is more than 25 mph. When the speed limit is less than 25 mph, drivers must reduce their speed to no more than 5 mph when emergency response vehicles are present. Failure to follow speed limit regulations will result in a moving violation citation.

Details of Florida's Move Over Act and driving laws are provided at the Florida Legislature 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, Florida 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.

Several jellyfish species reside in Florida's oceans and Intracoastal waterways, but not all are poisonous. Visitors should be aware of Sea Nettle and Moon Jellyfish when walking along beaches and swimming in coastal waters.

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 Florida beaches during summer months. Man of War jellyfish look like a blue bubble. They 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!)

Many tourists visit Florida to experience the excitement of saltwater fishing. The best way to capture the true essence of this sport is by chartering a vessel and crew. These experienced anglers know the area and can help visitors catch the type of fish they desire. 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 from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website at www.MyFWC.com.

Rip Currents and Beach Safety Tips

Rip currents occur when shallow water is pulled to deeper water. When a person gets caught in a rip current they often panic because they feel as if they are being pulled under. When swimming in the ocean it is crucial to understand how rip currents flow. First and foremost, realize you cannot swim against the current. Instead, swimmers must remain calm and swim parallel to the shore until out of the current.

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.

Additional beach safety tips are provided by Florida Department of Health website at www.FloridasHealth.com.

Florida Boating Regulations

Boating is one of the most popular activities in the Sunshine State. What many people fail to realize is taking a boat out in the ocean is significantly different than boating on a river or lake. Environmental conditions can change at a moment's notice. Waterways can be filled with boats ranging in size from canoes to yachts.

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 driving a boat is no different. Drinking and boating do not mix and can result in serious injury or death. Not to mention drinking and boating is 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 Florida's boating laws and regulations is available at Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website at MyFWC.com.

Driving on Florida Beaches

Visitors to Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach can enjoy driving on the hard-packed sand along the coastline. This tradition can be a fun experience and allows visitors the opportunity to pack a picnic lunch, sun umbrella and chairs, and setup camp on the beach.

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 $41.

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 $5 per vehicle or $3 after 3 p.m. Florida residents can purchase seasonal passes for $20, while annual non-resident passes cost $40. 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 Manatee 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 at www.MyFWC.com.

Sources:

Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Florida - www.VisitFlorida.com
Florida Driving Laws, Pedestrians and Move Over Act - www.leg.state.fl.us
Florida Beach Safety eBook - www.beachhunter.net/beachsafety.htm
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - www.myfwc.com
Florida Beach Safety Tips -http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/community/aquatic/beach_index_indepth.html
Florida Boating Regulations - www.myfwc.com/rulesandregs/Rules_Boat.htm
Florida Beach Driving Regulations - www.volusia.org/beach/beach2.htm
Florida Protected Wildlife and Environments - www.myfwc.com/WildLifeHabitats/index.htm