Crazy EU Laws May Mean We Need Motor Insurance To Mow The Lawn

Tue 6th Nov 2018

A change to the European Union rules on motor insurance could mean that drivers will need insurance for all vehicles they drive, including lawn mowers, mobility scooters and even golf buggies.

European MPs will be voting in December on a revised motor insurance directive (MID), which is also threatening the participation in motorsport across the continent.

If voted in, the directive will mean that all EU countries will have to adopt the new legislation, and even though the UK is facing Brexit, the Government is considering the changes for British drivers. Under current UK law insurance is only required for road vehicles.

The complexities of the new MID mean that under the terms of the law motorsport would be deemed illegal in Europe as insurers would refuse to cover either driver injury or car-to-car damage.

The Motorsport Industry Association is currently seeking a change to the wording of the directive, but are still concerned with the issues relating to the ruling.

“This is a genuine, serious threat to all EU motorsport,” said MIA CEO Chris Aylett.

"No one involved in motorsport - companies, employers and organisations can afford to ignore this.

"A strong clear message, demanding the text be amended, must be sent now to MEPs and European governments.

"If the new EU MID is unchanged, the unintended consequence of this legislation would end of a sport enjoyed by millions, close down tens of thousands of motorsport-related businesses and destroy hundreds of thousands of jobs, across the EU.

"This sounds unbelievable, but unfortunately it will happen if we fail to act now."