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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Grime and punishment

Drivers fined for failing to keep licence plates clean

By: Gabrielle Giroday

Posted: 02/10/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Drivers who fail to keep their licence plates visible while driving on Winnipeg streets face a nearly $200 fine if stopped by police.

IS the weather disguising your licence plates?

While it might be unintentional, the plates of some vehicles are almost illegible -- to the naked eye or photo radar -- because they're covered with grit and grime.

Enlarge Image

A speed sign on Route 90 (MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)

But that's no excuse, say Winnipeg police.

Sgt. Doug Safioles, of the Winnipeg Police Service's central traffic unit, said people driving with dirty or hidden licence plates could be breaking the law.

Police have already launched a campaign to cut down on distracted driving during the month of February, and a byproduct of increased enforcement means drivers could be ticketed for having dirty plates.

So far this year, 10 people have received a fine of $199.80 under the Highway Traffic Act for driving a vehicle "with a number plate obstructed in a manner capable of preventing (an) accurate image."

Last year, police handed out 69 tickets for that offence.

"You can't obstruct your plate, ever. It's a safety issue," said Safioles.

"If that car runs your kid down, you want to be able to identify the car."

People can also face a fine of $111.10 under the Drivers and Vehicles Act for having an "obscured number plate."

This year, officers have issued six tickets for that offence.

Last year, there were 88 tickets for the same reason.

Safioles said with current weather conditions, people need to be diligent about cleaning their plates.

He said enforcement around dirty plates isn't tied to photo-radar ticketing.

"That's got nothing to do with it," he said.

He said there were "very few" tickets last year for the offence.

"It's not just photo radar. We actually have licence-plate readers that capture plates, and so it's important for those machines, those devices to read the plates, too," he said. "But more, the premise, it's really based on security" so motor vehicle owners can be identified in case of a collision.

gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 10, 2012 B1

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