All first-time drivers under the age of 18 in Florida must complete a state-authorized, four-hour Florida drug and alcohol course known as Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education (TLSAE) before they can apply for a permit. To make things easy, consider taking the Florida drug and alcohol course online. The online course makes full use of video, audio, and animation to accommodate a variety of learning styles.
What Will You Learn in the Florida Drug and Alcohol Course?
Authorized by Florida driver services, the Florida Drug and Alcohol test is broken down into seven, single-subject units you can study at your own pace. You can log on and off at any time and pick up right where you left off. Some of the chapters in the course include:
Night driving.
Driving in inclement weather.
Florida road signs and signals.
Defensive driving techniques and strategies.
Freeway driving.
Lane changing and merging.
Hazard prevention.
Dangers of substance abuse and driving while intoxicated.
Budget Four Hours
Even though you can take the online Florida drug and alcohol course on your own time, you should still budget four hours total to complete the course before you can take the Florida drug and alcohol test.
Once you’ve completed the course, I Drive Safely informs the Florida driving service that you’ve passed the course. This then allows you to go online and take the Florida driver's permit course; you have three tries to pass the test. If you do not pass after three tries, you’ll need to come into a local driver's license office and take the test in person. If you do pass the online test, you just need to fill out some additional paperwork to get your permit quickly.
After the Class — Parents and Teens
Once you’ve completed the Florida drug and alcohol course and have completed the permit test, the real road work and practice begins. That’s where the parent-teen relationship comes into play. Per Florida law, parents are required to supervise their teens for 50 hours of behind-the-wheel training.
There is a Florida-authorized, parent-teen driving skills guide that covers all the necessary skills a teen needs to know. The final page of the guide also includes a form that must be either signed or notarized in front of an official, authorized examiner. When you take your final driver’s exam, you are allowed any number of re-takes for the exam, so you don’t have to worry if you don’t pass on your first try.
The Graduated License
Once you’ve aced the Florida drug and alcohol test, completed your driver training with your parent, and passed your driving exam, Florida offers a graduated license system, which comes with some restrictions for those under the age of 18.
Under the system, a 16-year-old can only drive between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. unless there's a licensed driver at least 21 years old in the front passenger seat. Drivers who are 17 years olds have a little more freedom, as their curfew is from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Getting your license in Florida all starts with one simple step — the four-hour drug and alcohol test. The truth is, with online education, you can move through the process very quickly. Then you’ll be well on your way to a graduated license, and eventually a full license without restrictions after the age of 18.
