West Shore RCMP is cracking down on improperly displayed or missing licence plates, which can net drivers fines of $109 to $230.
The detachment said in just over an hour last week, it encountered 40 vehicles with missing, modified or obscured plates.
The RCMP has adopted an automatic licence-plate recognition system province-wide, featuring a camera mounted atop a police vehicle that continuously reads licence plates on the road.
When it receives a hit, the system provides relevant vehicle and driver information to the officer. It can alert the officer of stolen or uninsured vehicles, unlicensed drivers and people with outstanding B.C. and Canada-wide warrants.
But in order for the technology to be effective, licence plates need to be displayed in accordance with B.C. Motor Vehicle Act regulations.
Const. Sean Van Londersele of the West Shore RCMP traffic unit said some of the violations he saw last week included licence plate covers, licence plates displayed in the windshield and vehicles without a front licence plate — all of which constitute motor vehicle infractions.
“The most common we see are luxury vehicles without a front plate. Unfortunately, a nice vehicle is not an excuse for not having a front plate and will likely result in being pulled over.”
If your licence plate is missing, you could be given a $109 violation ticket. The fine for an improperly displayed plate — it has to be mounted horizontally and securely fastened — or an illegible plate jumps to $230.
parrais@timescolonist.com
