Since states have different highway budgets, system sizes, and traffic and geographic circumstances, their comparative performance depends on both system performance and the resources available. To determine relative performance across the country, state highway system budgets (per mile of responsibility) are compared with system performance, state-by-state.

Florida's highway system placed 41st in the nation in performance and cost-effectiveness according to the Annual Highway Report.

Careless driving in one of the most common traffic citations in Florida. Law enforcement officers issue about 200,000 careless driving tickets annually.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) is a statutorily established cabinet agency of Florida government.

In 1969, under Governor Claude Kirk, the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Public Safety were merged forming the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

The agency head of FLHSMV is the governor and Cabinet, with authority delegated to the executive director. The executive director has functional responsibility for directing, monitoring, supervising, coordinating, and administering all activities of the department.

The department provides oversight and services in partnership with the various 67 Florida county tax collectors for the issuance of driver licenses, the Florida driver’s license handbook registrations and titling of automobiles, trailers, boats, and mobile homes.

Florida residents who are at least 15 years old can obtain a learner license after meeting the requirements.

The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is a division of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. It is Florida's highway patrol and is the primary law enforcement agency charged with investigating traffic crashes and criminal laws on the state's highways.

FHP has statewide jurisdiction, but shortfalls in FHP staffing sometimes lead to sheriff's offices and city police forces picking up more work, straining resources. Of the annual average long-form traffic crash reports completed by Florida law enforcement agencies, the 2011 study found that FHP investigated 32% of crashes, county sheriff's offices 23%, and municipal police and other agencies 45%.

FHP investigates 58% of traffic fatalities in the state; these investigations are substantially more complicated than non-fatal traffic investigations. The Florida Highway Patrol differs from most State Agencies in the Country as it is not considered a State Police. Troopers are however sworn law enforcement officers with Statewide Arrest Powers, but unlike for example the Louisiana State Police, FHP only handles Traffic Enforcement and Traffic Crash Investigation on the State of Florida roadways.

In Florida, the constitutional Sheriff is the Chief Law Enforcement Officer. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida's equivalent to the FBI, handles Criminal Investigations and Officer Records and Training and provides Statewide Crime Lab Services. FHP does have a Bureau of Investigation and Intelligence, but it does not do the same thing FDLE does. Its function is slightly different but works hand in hand with FDLE and other agencies. BCII handles odometer fraud, VIN number fraud, and in some cases Auto Theft Rings.

The FHP was established in 1939 under Colonel H. Neil Kirkman. Troopers originally patrolled on motorcycles; among the first patrol cars used by the force was the 1940 Ford De Luxe

Florida law designates the prescribed colors as 'Florida Highway Patrol black and tan. Florida law makes it a misdemeanor crime to cause a vehicle or motorcycle to be the same or similar colors as prescribed by FHP.