I know some folks think carrying paper is old-fashioned or paranoid, but I see it as just being prepared.
That’s how I look at it too. I mean, yeah, digital is easy—until your battery’s toast or the app decides to glitch out. Been there myself, stuck in a parking lot with a dead phone and no way to pull up my info. Not fun.
But here’s what I’m still not totally clear on: if you only have the digital card and your phone dies or whatever, does law enforcement in SD actually give you a ticket? Or do they let you off with a warning if you can show proof later? I’ve heard different things from different people, so I’m never sure what’s actually going to happen if you get caught without the paper backup.
Honestly, it just seems safer to keep a printout in the glove box. But maybe I’m being too cautious? Curious if anyone’s actually been in that situation and how strict they really are about it.
Honestly, it just seems safer to keep a printout in the glove box. But maybe I’m being too cautious?
Not too cautious at all—just practical. Here’s what I’ve seen over the years:
- SD law says digital proof is fine, but if your phone’s dead, you’re out of luck in the moment.
- Some officers might let you show proof later, but technically, they can ticket you right then.
- Had a buddy get pulled over last year—phone wouldn’t load the app, got a citation. He cleared it up, but still had to deal with the hassle.
Paper in the glove box just saves headaches. I keep mine with my registration, right next to the old gas receipts... never know when you’ll need it.
I get the logic behind keeping a paper copy, but I’m not totally convinced it’s always the best approach. The thing is, I’ve seen more than a few folks forget to swap out their old insurance cards after renewal, so they end up with an expired printout in the glove box. That’s just as much of a headache as a dead phone, honestly.
Paper in the glove box just saves headaches. I keep mine with my registration, right next to the old gas receipts... never know when you’ll need it.
I guess my question is, do most officers in South Dakota really care if you show digital proof? I’ve only been pulled over once (in my ‘78 Cutlass, of all things), and the officer was fine with my phone. Maybe it’s a luck-of-the-draw thing. I just worry about losing track of which card is current—especially if you drive more than one car.
Maybe a hybrid approach makes sense? Keep the digital handy, but check that glove box printout every renewal. Feels like there’s no perfect system...
Hybrid approach is honestly the only thing that’s ever worked for me. I get what you’re saying about the paper copies—half the time, I find an old card in the glove box and have to double-check if it’s even the right year. It’s easy to forget, especially if you’ve got more than one set of wheels. My ‘72 Chevelle sat all winter and when I finally took her out last month, sure enough, the insurance card was two cycles out of date. Had to dig through my phone to find the digital one anyway.
From what I’ve seen around here (I’m in SD too), most officers are pretty chill about digital proof. The last time I got stopped, I just pulled up my insurance app and handed over my phone. No issues at all. But I’ve heard stories from a couple buddies who ran into older officers who still want to see paper—maybe it’s just habit for them, or maybe they don’t trust tech as much. Hard to say if it’s luck or just depends on where you are in the state.
Honestly, keeping both is just peace of mind for me. Digital is great until your phone dies or you’re in a spot with no service (which happens more than you’d think out on some of these backroads). Paper backup is old-school but reliable… as long as you remember to swap it out. I started setting a reminder on my calendar every renewal just to check all my cars’ glove boxes. Not perfect, but it beats getting flustered at a traffic stop.
No system’s foolproof, but having options helps. At least with classics, there’s always something else to keep track of—insurance cards are just another thing on the list.
But I’ve heard stories from a couple buddies who ran into older officers who still want to see paper—maybe it’s just habit for them, or maybe they don’t trust tech as much. Hard to say if i...
Not sure I totally agree that keeping both is worth the hassle. Honestly, I’ve just gone all-in on digital. Here’s why:
- SD law says electronic proof is valid statewide.
- My insurance app lets me download the card as a PDF, so I save it right to my phone—no service needed.
- Paper gets lost or outdated way too easily (like you said, “half the time, I find an old card in the glove box…”).
I get the backup argument, but for me, one up-to-date digital copy is less to manage. If my phone dies, I’d rather deal with that rare situation than constantly swapping paper in three cars. Just my two cents.
