"Digital's convenient, but tech glitches always seem to strike at the worst possible moment, ya know?"
True enough, but honestly, I've never had an issue with digital insurance cards—even in rural areas. I commute regularly across South Dakota and neighboring states, and officers have generally been pretty chill about digital copies. Maybe it's just luck or the fact my phone screen isn't cracked (yet), but I think as long as your device is readable and charged, you're usually fine.
That said, I do get your point about tech glitches. But paper copies aren't foolproof either—I've had mine get soaked from a spilled coffee or accidentally tossed out during a car clean-up. If you're worried about readability outdoors, maybe just screenshot your card and crank up the brightness before handing it over? Or better yet, keep a PDF copy saved offline so you don't need internet access.
Also worth noting: South Dakota explicitly allows digital proof of insurance. According to their DMV site, officers are required to accept electronic versions as valid proof. So even if they're not thrilled about squinting at your phone, legally they can't refuse it.
Still, having a backup never hurts...just don't rely solely on paper either.
"Maybe it's just luck or the fact my phone screen isn't cracked (yet), but I think as long as your device is readable and charged, you're usually fine."
Haha, relatable...my phone battery always seems to hover around 10%. But yeah, digital's been reliable for me too—just gotta remember that offline PDF trick you mentioned. Good tip!
"Haha, relatable...my phone battery always seems to hover around 10%."
Mine too, honestly. I had a close call once when my phone died right as I was pulling up my insurance card for a cop—talk about stressful. Since then, I've been printing out a backup copy just in case. Digital is convenient and all, but having paper on hand saved me from a potential ticket. Wonder if anyone's actually gotten fined for a dead battery or cracked screen...?
I've wondered about that too... I mean, digital cards are great until they're suddenly not. A friend of mine actually got a warning (thankfully just a warning) because his screen was cracked so badly the officer couldn't read the policy number clearly. Ever since hearing that, I've kept a printed copy tucked in my glovebox. Call me old-school, but paper doesn't glitch or shatter at the worst possible moment.
- Good call on keeping a printed copy handy—screens can fail at the worst times.
- Digital is convenient, sure, but reliability matters more when you're dealing with authorities.
- Better safe than sorry... your friend's experience definitely validates your caution.
