“We realize that tourists will be an unintended side effect of this new law,” said Kathy Torian of Visit Florida, who just got the heads-up from “the folks” at the state highway department. “We’re trying to help spread the word to the tourism community around the world as well as our own industry in Florida.”

Millions of international visitors drive in Florida each year, and state legislators thought the international driving permit — a standardized document that translates the licence details into 10 different languages — would help law officers interpret foreign licences.

The new law applies to any non-resident, including all those Canadians getting ready for March break.