A new law aimed at reducing the number of uninsured motorists may prove costly for some Iowa drivers. The law requires drivers to carry an insurance card in their vehicle after Jan. 1, 1998.

Law enforcement officers will be able to request proof of insurance at the time of an accident or traffic violation.

The penalties for driving without an insurance card range from a simple warning to having one’s car impounded.

“The law will create a barrier that keeps in check the number of drivers without insurance,” said Bob Skow, senior vice president of Independent Insurance Agents of Iowa.

The law was passed last session by the Iowa Legislature and is meant to curb the number of accidents caused by uninsured motorists.

According to the Independent Insurance Agents of Iowa, Skow said, uninsured motorists are more frequently involved in the state’s most serious accidents.

Skow said in 1992, an estimated 2.7 percent of drivers had no insurance. By 1996, he said that figure had risen from 10 to 15 percent.

He said the law is meant to prevent that percentage from getting any higher.

After a car is impounded, drivers have 30 days to prove they are insured motorists.

If motorists do not prove they are insured, their car is treated as an abandoned vehicle, Skow said.

The fines for operating a vehicle without insurance are heavy. If law enforcement officers decide to fine the driver, they may remove the vehicle’s license plates and registration, Skow said.

At that time a temporary 30-day plate will be issued. Before July 1, 1999, drivers will be fined $100. After that date they may be fined $250 with a moving violation or $500 at the scene of an accident.

Drivers are given 30 days to provide proof of insurance before the fines are levied.

Skow said if drivers are unable to afford the fines, they will work off the fine with mandatory public service.

Skow pointed out Iowa’s percentage of uninsured motorists is among the lowest in the nation, and Iowa’s insurance rates are second lowest in the nation.

He said the law should keep insurance in Iowa “an affordable option.”

Proof of insurance is not required when registering a vehicle or obtaining a driver’s license, Skow said.

The Independent Insurance Agents of Iowa suggests those with questions about the new law contact their local insurance agents.