Approximately 18,000 fleet and motor trader vehicles are yet to be added to the National Fleet Database (NFD), according to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI). The MIBI also warned that those vehicles risk being identified as uninsured and the responsible fleet owners/ managers or motor traders could be prosecuted in the District Court and subjected to fines of up to €500 per vehicle.
Data for 232,859 vehicles has been uploaded to the NFD, despite the deadline for fleet and motor trader vehicles to be added passing on 30th November. This represents 93% of the estimated 250,000 fleet and motor trader vehicles operating across the country.
MIBI analysis suggests that it is mostly smaller fleet and motor trade policy holders that are yet to fulfil their legal requirements by providing their vehicle details and who risk facing these penalties.
A dedicated online database, the National Fleet Database (NFD) was launched last year to enable the collection of this information. It is maintained by the MIBI, a not for profit organisation that was established to compensate victims of road traffic accidents caused by uninsured and unidentified vehicles.
The vehicle data on the NFD will be combined with the same information for private motor vehicles and used by An Garda Síochána to identify vehicles which are being driven illegally without insurance.
The legal requirement to provide this information on fleet and motor trader vehicles was set out in the recently enacted Road Traffic and Roads Act (2023).
“We are pleased that the vast majority of the fleet and motor trader vehicles have been added to the National Fleet Database,” said David Fitzgerald, CEO of the MIBI. “This is a positive development and we would like to thank all the fleet owners/ managers, motor traders, insurers and insurance brokers who supported this activity.
“It is though disappointing that there are still a significant number of fleet owners/ managers or motor traders who have not fulfilled their legal obligations and added their vehicle details. However being a data led system it will be very difficult for these vehicles to avoid detection. These vehicles may now be flagged by An Garda Síochána for uninsured driving. Offending fleet owners/ managers or motor traders may also be prosecuted and fined for failing to meet the legislative requirement that they add their vehicles to the database.
“Ultimately this is a measure designed to benefit all users of Irish roads and make our road network safer. We look forward to seeing appropriate action being taken against those who are ignoring this requirement and flouting their legal responsibilities,” Mr. Fitzgerald concluded.
The National Fleet Database is accessible on nfd.mtpl.ie