Proposal would allow electronic insurance cards

ATLANTA - Georgia drivers would be able to have an electronic version of their car insurance card under a proposal that has cleared the state House of Representatives.

The plan from Monroe Republican Bruce Williamson now heads to the Senate.

Williamson says the idea would bring Georgia traffic laws into the 21st century. Insurers could distribute electronic versions of insurance cards that drivers could display on a smartphone.

Current law requires drivers to carry proof of insurance. Williamson says the law lets a driver avoid a citation if a patrol officer is able to verify the driver's insurance using a state database. But he says electronic cards are more convenient, especially for anyone driving a vehicle other than their personal automobile, such as a rental or company car.