According to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland, starting at the end of the month, drivers who wish to renew or obtain a new coverage must present their driver number, reports RTE.
Any insurance company or broker that issues a vehicle insurance policy after March 31 without providing the driver’s number will be in violation of the law.
It implies that a person cannot lawfully obtain auto insurance if they do not supply the driver numbers for each listed driver on their policy, reports RTE.
Regardless of changes to their car, insurance, or even when they renew their driver’s license, each driver has a unique driver number that they carry with them for the rest of their lives.
The Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 contains the road safety measure, which aims to improve road safety even further.
The information on the driver number will be put to the Irish Motor Insurance Database, which the Gardaà currently uses to identify and capture uninsured drivers, reports RTE.
Every day, An Garda SÃochána receives updated insurance information for almost three million cars and five million drivers.
Each individual driver will be uniquely identified by the inclusion of their driver number.
This would make it increasingly harder for drivers who break the law to avoid discovery and provide An Garda SÃochána a more thorough understanding of any violations someone may have committed, reports RTE.
The Irish Motor Insurance Database project, a collaborative effort between the Department of Transport, An Garda SÃochána, Insurance Ireland, the MIBI, and insurance companies, will culminate with the insertion of the Driver Number.
According to MIBI data, there were over 188,000 uninsured private automobiles on Irish roads in 2022, or one out of every 12 private vehicles. The initiative was created to assist combat the high rates of uninsured driving in the State, reports RTE.
The MIBI, a non-profit organisation, was founded to provide compensation to victims of traffic accidents brought on by unidentified and uninsured automobiles.
“From 31 March onwards this legislative requirement will be a necessity for anyone who is looking to renew their motor insurance or to take out a new policy,” said David Fitzgerald, CEO of the MIBI, reports RTE.
“For most people this will just mean they will have to take a quick look at their driver’s licence and provide the correct number, listed under point 4(d) on their licence as part of their renewal process. If they have additional drivers listed on their policy, then the driver numbers for those individuals will also have to be provided. This is an important measure that will help bring more safety to Irish roads and greater accountability to anyone who breaks the law. Every licensed driver has their own unique driver number which stays with them regardless of the vehicle they are using,” reports RTE.
According to him, this new legislative obligation makes it much harder for drivers who break the law to avoid discovery by giving An Garda SÃochána a more thorough understanding of any offences a motorist may have committed.
“When combined with the impact the database is already making, allowing the Gardaà to identify uninsured drivers in seconds, this will further enhance the policing of Irish roads. We all want safer roads in this country and this adds another layer of effectiveness to IMID, aiding the battle against illegal driving activity,” Mr Fitzgerald said, reports RTE.
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