Florida Traffic Ticket Update: November 11, 2026

Crash-scene tow scams in Miami-Dade, holiday enforcement on Florida highways, and what the law requires after a minor fender-bender

Part 1: What’s New

Troopers and Deputies Target Crash-Scene Tow Scams in Miami-Dade

The Florida Highway Patrol and the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office recently staged fake crashes in Northwest Miami-Dade to catch people who listen to police scanners and rush to accident scenes offering tows, repairs or “legal help.” Two men were detained. Officials say drivers can be pressured into signing paperwork that leaves them owing thousands, and a follow-up report links a deadly tow-truck collision earlier this year to operators racing to a crash. Florida law makes it illegal for an unauthorized tow operator to monitor police radio to find crashes or to solicit and tow a vehicle before the authorized wrecker arrives (s. 323.002).

What this means for you: After a crash, don’t sign anything from someone who just shows up. Call your own tow company or ask the officer to call one for you.

Source: WSVN 7News — https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/fhp-mdso-crash-scam-bust/

Florida Kicks Off Its Holiday “Arrive Alive” Safety Campaign

Florida’s highway safety department and the Florida Highway Patrol launched their year-end Arrive Alive campaign on November 10, focusing on impaired driving, hit-and-runs and road-trip readiness through the end of the year. According to FHP data, the five-day Thanksgiving travel period in 2025 saw 7,331 crashes and 45 deaths statewide, and more than 1,000 crashes in November and December 2025 involved alcohol, drugs or both.

What this means for you: Expect more troopers on I-95, the Turnpike and I-75 through the holidays. Plan a sober ride and give yourself extra time.

Source: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles — https://www.flhsmv.gov/2026/11/10/flhsmv-and-fhp-ask-motorists-not-to-wing-it-and-arrive-alive-this-holiday-season/

Part 2: Driver’s Guide

I Was in a Minor Crash in Florida — What Am I Legally Required to Do (and Who Can Tow My Car)?

If you’re in a crash that damages another car or property, Florida law requires you to stop and stay at the scene until you’ve exchanged information (s. 316.061(1)). You must give your name, address and vehicle registration number, show your license if asked, and help anyone who is hurt get medical care (s. 316.062(1)). If your damaged car is blocking traffic, you’re expected to make a reasonable effort to move it out of the way (s. 316.061(2)).

If an officer comes, each driver must show proof of insurance (s. 316.066(1)(d)). If no officer writes a report on a property-damage-only crash, you must send a written report to the state within 10 days (s. 316.066(1)(e)). The state’s self-report option is meant for crashes with no injuries or complaints of pain, no vehicle needing a tow, no hit-and-run, no criminal violation and no commercial vehicle (FLHSMV).

As for towing: you have the right to call any tow company you want (s. 323.002(6)). Where a city or county uses an official tow rotation, an unauthorized operator who flags you down and tows your car commits a misdemeanor, and if you’re the one who waves an unauthorized operator over, they must give you a written disclosure of their name, insurance and maximum charges before hooking up your car (s. 323.002(2)).

What this means for you: Stop, swap information, move your car if it’s safe, and don’t hand your keys or signature to a stranger. If a ticket comes out of the crash, it may carry points, so get advice before you pay it.

Part 3: Common Questions

Do I have to move my car out of the road after a fender-bender? If it’s drivable and blocking traffic, yes — failing to make a reasonable effort to move it is a nonmoving violation. Moving the car out of the travel lanes does not, by itself, make you at fault for the crash.
Source: Florida Statutes s. 316.061 — https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/316.061

It was just a scratch. Can I leave if the other driver says it’s fine? Not before exchanging the required information. Leaving the scene of a crash with damage to an attended vehicle or property, without stopping and giving your information, is a second-degree misdemeanor in Florida, and the court can order restitution.
Source: Florida Statutes s. 316.061 — https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/316.061

The police never came. Do I still need to report the crash? If the crash caused property damage and no law enforcement report was required, the driver must submit a written report to the state within 10 days. Skipping it is a nonmoving infraction. Florida’s highway safety department offers a driver self-report form for qualifying minor crashes.
Source: Florida Statutes s. 316.066 — https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/316.066; FLHSMV — https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/courts/crash/driverselfreportoftrafficcrashform.pdf

I didn’t have my insurance card at the crash. Is that ticket permanent? Not necessarily. Not showing proof of insurance at a crash is a nonmoving infraction, but the law enforcement agency may void the citation if you provide proof, within 24 hours, of insurance that was valid at the time of the crash.
Source: Florida Statutes s. 316.066 — https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/316.066

Got a ticket? Talk to us before you pay. Traffic Ticket Team handles traffic tickets in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Call (954) 967-9888 or visit trafficticketteam.com for a consultation.

Sources

This post is for general information only and is not legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

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