Florida Launches Driving Program for Foster Children

Florida is going to launch a pilot program to help foster children drive.

Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday signed a bill (HB 977) that sets up a three year program that will help pay the costs of driver’s education, auto insurance and licensing for eligible foster children.

The state has set aside $800,000 for the Department of Children and Families to set up the program.

The program, which was pushed by Sen. Nancy Detert and Rep. Ben Albritton, is part on an ongoing effort to help foster children prepare to live on their own.

Detert said that the state found that only about 2 percent of foster children leaving state care had a driver’s license because they did not have a parent to put them on their car insurance.