Road Traffic Act, 1933

Production of certificate on demand.

71.—(1) Any member of the Gárda Síochána may demand of any person driving a mechanically propelled vehicle the production of either a certificate of insurance or a certificate of guarantee or a certificate of exemption in respect of the driving of that vehicle by that person on that occasion and if such person refuses or fails to produce any such certificate then and there he shall, unless within five days after the date on which such production was demanded he produces such certificate in person to a member of the Gárda Síochána at a Gárda Síochána station named by such person at the time at which such production was so demanded, be guilty of an offence under this section.

(2) Whenever any person of whom the production of a certificate of insurance or a certificate of guarantee or a certificate of exemption is lawfully demanded under this section produces such certificate but refuses or fails to permit the member of the Gárda Síochána making such demand to read and examine the certificate so produced he shall be guilty of an offence under this section.

(3) Whenever any person of whom the production of a certificate of insurance or a certificate of guarantee or a certificate of exemption is lawfully demanded under this section refuses or fails to produce any such certificate or produces such a certificate but fails or refuses to permit the member of the Gárda Síochána making the demand to read and examine the certificate so produced or whenever any person produces such certificate at a Gárda Síochána station in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) of this section but fails or refuses to permit the member of the Gárda Síochána to whom such certificate is so produced to read and examine it, such member may demand of such person his name and address and if such person refuses or fails to give his name and address or gives a name or address which is false or misleading he shall be guilty of an offence under this section.

(4) Any member of the Gárda Síochána may arrest without warrant—

(a) any person who in pursuance of this section produces a certificate of insurance, certificate of guarantee, or certificate of exemption but refuses or fails to permit such member to read such certificate, or

(b) any person who, when his name and address is lawfully demanded of him by such member under this section, refuses or fails to give his name and address or gives a name or an address which is known to such member to be false or misleading.

(5) Every person who is guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding five pounds.