COLUMBUS, Ohio – Maxwell, the talking (and driving) pig in the Geico TV ads who conducts his auto insurance business on a smart phone will feel right at home in Ohio if the state House goes along with a Senate-approved measure allowing motorists to provide proof of insurance via mobile devices.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Edna Brown (D-Toledo), would not eliminate the printed insurance identification cards but would give drivers the option of providing their proof of financial responsibility to law enforcement officers through a smart phone or other mobile device.
The Senate unanimously passed the bill on Wednesday.
If it becomes law, Ohio would be the 36th state to adopt similar legislation, Brown says. In 2011, no states allowed drivers to use cell phones to show proof of insurance in a traffic stop, she said.