It has been revealed that lawmakers in Ohio want electronic means of verifying that motorists have car insurance, under legislation that will be introduced by the state Senate.

Sen. Tom Sawyer offered Senate Bill 68 to give law enforcements a better method of checking whether drivers have car insurance cover, as required by existing law.

Presently, officers can check information in electronic law enforcement databases on vehicle registrations and licenses. They review insurance cards provided by drivers, but are not verified through electronic means to determine if coverage is in place.

Under Sawyer’s legislation, the state’s motor vehicles registrar would be required to contract with a third-party system to enforce an electronic database for checking motorists policy. The system will provide insurance cover numbers and termination dates.

Sawyer said that the system would help law enforcement teams and insured drivers greatly: “Insured motorists in Ohio are paying a premium to cover uninsured motorists. [This legislation] will reduce the costs for insured motorists who are observing the law and it will create a substantial improvement in the safety situation ... and create a revenue stream that is deeply needed by state government.”

According to Sawyer, around 20% of drivers do not have car insurance coverage.