A valid drivers licence and adequate insurance is required for driving in Florida.You should always have driving license, insurance documents and all paperwork given to you by your car rental company, just in case you should be stopped for any reason by a police officer whilst driving in Florida. Obviously driving while under the influence of alcohol is prohibited, the legal limit is 0.08 and you could find yourself imprisoned if you exceed this limit. Opened bottles and cans of alcohol are also prohibited inside the car while driving in Florida. Its always best to stow away puchases from the liquor store in the trunk of the car hire vehicle.
The maximum speed limit for driving in Florida, on the interstate is 70mph, while residential areas are between 20 - 55 mph.
Most car rental companies insist on the driver being over 25 years but it is possible to find a company who will allow drivers over 21 years of age at a supplement of, usually, $10 - $20 per day. Shop around for the best deal if you fall into this category.
I find its always best to arrange car rental prior to travel. There are many excellent car hire companies who offer great deals on car rentals. Organising your transport prior to arrival means that you will have all car insurance etc. in place ready just to pick up the car without any delay. On arriving at the rental car pick up depot you will be given a map of the area - take time to study it. Many car hire companies also offer Sat Nav which is a bonus for anyone new to driving in Florida. Maps can also be downloaded free from the internet and can be studied at home before travelling. If you should get lost leaving the airport, head for Interstate 4. Visitors staying on International Drive leave I-4 at exit 75A, Kissimmee West is 64B and Kissimmee East, exit 64A
Driving in Florida is relatively easy but for visitors from the U.K. there are a few differences you should be aware of. Driving in Florida is very different from in the U.K, the main differences being, that if you come to a red light and want to turn left, it is ok to continue, so long as it is safe to do so. Also at a stop junction, you must come to a halt, even if there is no traffic on the road. A green light does not automatically mean you can go, if you are turning right and there is a filter you must wait for the filter to come on (I almost caused a pile up at a busy intersection on International Drive because I assumed I could go when the green light came on !) Traffic lights are hung diagonally above the junction. Undertaking, that is, overtaking on the left hand side of the vehicle, is also perfectly legal in Florida and this can be daunting for first time drivers sitting in three or four lanes of traffic. Have confidence, it does work.
For U.K visitors first time driving in Florida can seem very daunting at first, but, in fact, it is really easy. Obviously, you will be driving on the wrong side of the car and the wrong side of the road, to add to this, the car will most certainly be an automatic, I was told, after nearly catupulting the kids into Kissimmee on their own that ' from now on, forget you have a left foot, stick it out the window or whatever, but from now on it doesn't exist while you are driving in Florida'.
Once at the airport, make your way to your car hire company offices, most popular are Dollar Rent A Car, Alamo, Budget and Hertz (only one person allowed inside to deal with paperwork) At this point, the desk staff are on a 'hard sell' mission. You will be asked if you would like to upgrade because your boot (trunk) is most likely going to be too small for a family of four etc. I have actually met a bloke who was almost in tears during his holiday because he fell for the hard sell tactics and upgraded, believing he had to take on extra insurance (which he didn't need at all) and was left with virtually nothing to spend on his vacation. If you do really want to upgrade to the latest convertible, look interested, then when they give you the price, tell them you can't afford it. Its amazing how quickly the price will come down from $250 for an upgrade to $80. On allocation of your rental car, be sure to check it over for any damage - bumps, scratches etc. If you should find any problem report it straight away as on returning the rental car at the end of your vacation an emplyee will check it over for damage and the last thing you would want is to be charged for damage caused by the previous driver.
Insurance
Your rental car may be covered by basic insurance. Make sure that you have adequate insurance to cover you should you be unfortunate to have your rental car stolen or be involved in an accident. You should always have LDW or CDW - Loss Damage Waiver or Collision Damage Waiver. Liability Insurance Supplement (LIS) covers you for any costs involved for any accident you may be involved in during your stay.