TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) -- There are some new laws in Florida going into effect today that you should be aware of.
Some of those include changes to the state's $10,000 no fault personal injury protection insurance.
If you're involved in a fender bender you need to seek emergency room care within two weeks of the accident in order to collect.
Those who are homeless will now be able to get a free state ID card.
The Florida Safe Harbor Act designed to protect and provide shelter for sexually exploited children takes effect as well.
It's now legal to flash headlights to warn oncoming drivers that police are lurking on the roadside ahead.
This law is one of a number of motor vehicle laws taking effect today.
Tallahassee resident Paul Baker says even though it was illegal, it was probably difficult to prove in the past.
“Who says I’m not testing my lights. How do they prove that your action was that you were warning them? How do they know that,” asked Baker.
Other residents say they didn't even know there used to be a law against it. Felicia Jackson says she has warned oncoming traffic in the past of police ahead except in some cases.
If I felt like the oncoming traffic was coming too fast, I won't warn them and hopefully they will get caught. At least they will get them to slow down and maybe not hurt themselves or somebody else,” said Jackson.
But Rebecca Judd says she thinks the new law can act as a secondary safety measure before an officer pulls you over.
“We should not be allowed to break the law but if I can help you in correcting your actions I’ll do so,” she said.
And like Jackson, Judd says there are some drivers who deserve to be punished.
“You've got you know people that are getting behind the wheels that are drunk drivers and so forth but on the other hand if I can be of assistance to help my brother I do so,” said Judd.
According to Oviedo attorney J. Marcus Jones, police can still use other sections of Florida’s traffic code to ticket motorists for flashing their headlights, including prohibitions against using high beams within five hundred feet of an oncoming vehicle or within 300 feet of a vehicle ahead.
