When you think of being safe on the road while driving at night, you probably think of headlights and seatbelts. Most drivers do not give their license plates a second thought, even though these number plates play a major part in road safety. Not to mention that they must adhere to specific rules for drivers to be legally compliant with state regulations.
For example, Missouri license plates must be visible at night. This ensures that the police and other drivers can easily identify a vehicle. Identifying a vehicle becomes necessary in case of an accident or crime.
License Plate Regulations in Missouri
According to Missouri law, all vehicles registered must have a rear license plate and a front one. Missouri Revised Statutes Section 301.130. states that license plates are not allowed to “swing.” This often happens if a plate is not properly fastened.
All plates must be readable even at night. Missouri registration plates must be illuminated enough when it is dark to ensure they can be read from 50 feet away. This means the plate must be illuminated by a white plate bulb (rear plate). If drivers ignore this regulation, they may be fined or penalized.
Why Missouri Plates Must Be Illuminated
There are more than 4.2 million licensed drivers in Missouri as of 2021. With this high number, the possibility of accidents and car theft happening every day increases.
Illuminated license plates can help identify vehicles that cause accidents or are involved in hit-and-runs. Number plates can also identify vehicles that transport criminals. Moreover, when someone is parked on the side of the road with their lights off, an illuminated plate can make the vehicle visible and help prevent an accident.
Technology Helps Enhance Plate Visibility
As technology improves over the years, so do license plate visibility standards. In Missouri, plates are made using high-quality reflecting sheeting. When headlights shine on these plates, the sheeting’s brightness is enhanced (in addition to the plates being highlighted by light bulbs). This ensures that license plates remain visible even when foggy or rainy.
Why Some License Plates Remain Obscure
Despite technological advances, certain circumstances make license plates less visible. For instance, if a driver travels in wet, muddy weather, grime, and dirt build up on their plates. If the car is not cleaned, the dirt will make the plate characters difficult to read.
It is also easy for plates to get damaged. They may become bent over time, crack, or fade. When this happens, plates become hard to read.
A plate will also be less visible if it is not attached properly or if the plate bulbs are not functioning.
Missouri drivers must inspect, clean, and repair their registration plates whenever necessary to ensure optimal visibility.
It is also important to note that license plate frames and wraps are allowed but may not cover any part of a plate’s information. The same rules apply to standard plates and personalized and specialty plates.
If a plate is obstructed by a bike or storage rack, a driver must get a Temporary Third License Plate. The third plate is only legal while transporting goods or items.
Consequences of Non-Compliance
Driving with an obscured or unlit license plate can lead to fines or citations. Repeated offenses can lead to higher penalties. It is also possible that an obscured license plate will raise a police officer’s suspicions.
If a police officer becomes suspicious of a vehicle with obscured plates, they may inspect it and question the driver. This could lead to potential legal issues.
Even if just the design on the sides of the plate is obscured, a driver may still be stopped. A few years ago, when the state bird (Eastern bluebird) was featured on Missouri plates, drivers would routinely be stopped if the bird design was obscured.
How License Plate Visibility Affects Insurance Claims
There are a lot of hit-and-run accidents throughout Missouri every year. If a driver causes an accident and speeds away, it is possible to find them via their license plate. But, if their plates are not visible or obscured, it becomes a challenging situation.
Therefore, visible plates help keep drivers compliant with the law and protect them against disputes during the insurance claiming process.
Ensuring Your Missouri License Plate is Compliant
It does not take a lot of work to ensure your license plates comply with the law. And the extra effort will ensure you are protected in an accident.
It is important to keep your license plates clean, so make time to have to go to a car wash. Dirt can cause problems that taking 30 minutes of your day can prevent.
Inspect your plates regularly for any damage, especially after traveling a long distance. Check for cracks or fading. If your plates are beyond repair, have them replaced.
While inspecting your plates, ensure the light bulbs work properly. Also, check that the plates are firmly attached to your vehicle and do not swing around.
License Plate Types
License plate visibility applies to all types of license plates in Missouri. There are more than 100 types of license plates in the state that can be categorized as either standard or specialty plates.
Specific license plate types include military, veteran, charity, collegiate, and plates for historic or antique vehicles.
License Plate Visibility Will Always Be Important
It does not matter what type of plate you have or how much new technology Missouri adopts. License plate visibility will always be required in the state. Moreover, the integration of automated license plate recognition systems makes it clear how important clear and visible number plates are.
Visibility is also about more than just hit-and-runs, toll gates, and traffic monitoring. In the case of an Amber Alert or kidnapping, a license plate may be all the police have to go on.
If everyone works together to ensure their license plates are compliant, it can also lead to safer roads.
Image: Unsplash, Jake Leonard
