Number Plates News

No More Front Plates? No Chance!

22 April 2009

At a time when the UK's DVLA are focusing on the need for all British cars to be fully equipped with a full set of clearly legible, regulation compliant number plates in the interests of safety and law enforcement, some lawmakers in the USA have suggested removing the requirement for cars to have front license plates.

The Colorado House Transportation Committee killed a bill sponsored by both Democrat and Republican representatives in a decisive 10-1 vote, but one of the bill’s champions claimed that the idea will return.

Democrat Paul Weissmann said "This is one of those funds that at some point in our lives we're going to have to look at. This is 1.8 million bucks we could lay on the table."

Vehicle number plates are made in the states prisons and each set costs between $3 and $4. Theoretically, the cost could be slashed by almost half if only one plate were required.

It is, perhaps, no real surprise that the idea has not currently found favour. With law enforcement agencies worldwide having to cope with rising crime and a threat from international terrorism, they will be looking at ways of making vehicles easier to identify, not more difficult.