New app helps gardaí catch thousands of uninsured motorists

A new app containing insurance details of over 3 million vehicles has helped gardaí to catch thousands of uninsured motorists. The new system, which was introduced in January, has already led to the seizure of 7,307 vehicles. The insurance details, which are provided by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) through the Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID), update on a daily basis. Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, McEntee said: “If a car is stopped, gardaí will immediately be able to assess whether or not the car has insurance.” Research conducted by MIBI showed that two years ago there were approximately 188,000 uninsured private vehicles on Irish roads. The level of uninsured driving in the country was found to be the second highest in the EU. The minister also said there needs to be a change in people’s behaviour. “It’s not enough just to catch people out and to take people off the road. We need people to be insuring their cars, we need people to know that it is a serious offence to drive without insurance. “It’s not just the potential to be given a serious fine, significant penalty points, but there’s also potential for up to six months in prison.” To avoid any mix-ups, GMIB.ie advises customers to always ensure you have double checked your renewal date and that your policy is active. It is also a good idea to keep your insurance certificate and disc in the car at all times, and to make sure the information on your documentation is accurate. If you have any questions about your policy, please contact us today. A member of our team will be delighted to assist you in any way possible.