A credit card-styled driving licence featuring microchip technology will be introduced into Ireland next year.
The new driving licence will include a photograph of the driver, as well as the driver's name, address, date of birth and licence type, and details of the issuing authority.
The new licence will also carry a record of any penalty points or endorsements on the driver’s record. This will allow gardaí at a checkpoint to examine a driver’s record on the spot.
Uncertified driving
Results of a new poll carried out by the AA shows that plenty of motorists have committed an offence by allowing one or more of their compulsory certificates to expire: NCT, car tax or motor insurance.
Of the 15,300 people polled by the Automobile Association, one third admitted to driving around at some point with an expired NCT disc, one third without a valid car tax, four per cent with an expired driver’s license and two per cent with an out-of-date motor insurance disk.
Despite the risk of penalty points, fines, mandatory court appearances and even disqualification from driving if convicted, a lot of motorists have been willing to take a chance.
