Driver saved from $200 fine by iPhone

A story read in jalopnik, When a police officer asks for proof-of-insurance, most people reach for their card. When its expired, most people take the ticket. Paul reached for his iPhone and saved himself $200 and a suspended licence.

 A reader over at The Unofficial Apple Weblog was driving through a small blizzard when he slowed down and was rear-ended by another motorist. The investigating officer who arrived asked Paul, the driver, for his insurance card. Unfortunately, it was expired. In many states, if you’re unable to prove your insurance you have to pay a $200 fine — and, because your insurance normally acts as a bond, if you don’t have the cash, put up your license for bond.

Being cash-poor but rich in sense, Paul logged into his online Geico account via the iPhone’s web-browser and got a PDF copy of the card mailed to his phone. The officer accepted the proof and no ticket was issued. While we don’t expect this to work with most officers, having the web in your pocket might become a big help when driving — as long as you use it primarily when you’re parked.