Up to drivers to make sure they are covered — judge

A BELCLARE man who was involved in a serious collision was driving without insurance at the time, Judge Geoffrey Browne was told at Tuam District Court. Tony McHugh's solicitor pleaded that it was as a result of a genuine mistake that his client found himself in this position. He had borrowed the vehicle in question [private]and assumed he was insured because he had an open insurance policy. In fact, an insurance broker had assured him he was insured to drive the vehicle. Unfortunately, it transpired that only the policy holder could drive it. He worked in a garage and the two-year mandatory driving ban will have serious consequences for him, his solicitor pleaded. Judge Browne said that it only went to show how careful you had to be with insurance. You can be confident you are insured but it is still the driver's responsibility to make sure. The Judge asked if there had been insurance cover at the time of the accident and was told there was not. [/private]