New Wisconsin license plates delayed; Lawmaker concerned about impacts on violent crime

MILWAUKEE — After assembly with the State Transportation Secretary, Sen. Van Wanggaard says new higher-quality license plates gained’t be carried out for one more month and a half.

“[3M] is having a bit problem with their reflectivity sheeting and it’s in testing,” Wanggaard stated. “That ought to have us on-line, most likely throughout the subsequent month and a half the place they’ll begin sheeting model new plates.”

Till then, new license plates will likely be utilizing the identical lower-quality sheeting that has led to quicker deterioration of plates throughout the state. Wanggaard says, these plates ought to nonetheless final 5 or 6 years.

As reported final week, lawmakers reinstituted computerized license plate substitute for autos final yr, after a 13-year hiatus. In accordance with the Division of Transportation, there are 1.8 million plates in circulation which are no less than 10 years outdated.

Regardless of the massive variety of older plates in circulation, the Milwaukee Police Division has solely issued 22 citations since 2017 for illegible plates. Wanggaard believes State Patrol could also be issuing extra citations for this violation or that officers could also be giving out warnings since new license plates value $8 whereas a quotation may max out at $200.

In accordance with DOT, since 2017, Wisconsin State Patrol has issued 32 citations and 4,816 warnings.

However Wanggaard believes this highlights a larger downside. He believes as a result of departments like Milwaukee’s are understaffed, site visitors enforcement could also be taking a success on account of extra severe crimes taking priority.

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“Should you’re pulling officers which are responding to shootings and to different crime occurring in your municipality, you don’t have sufficient officers to answer these issues and site visitors turns into secondary,” Wanggaard stated. “That’s the issue. Should you’ve received good site visitors enforcement, the whole lot else follows. Should you’re stopping site visitors violators, you’re coping with the small issues. It’s the damaged window idea. Should you let the little stuff slide, the massive stuff goes to get even worse.”

Wanggaard believes letting the little issues slide might result in drivers feeling like they will get away with extra. He recalled how issues operated when he was a Racine Police Officer working in site visitors enforcement.

“We might get individuals driving 15 or 20 miles per hour over the velocity restrict,” Wanggaard stated. “We’d make a site visitors cease on license plates, damaged headlights, taillights, site visitors violations for velocity or turns, no matter. Oftentimes, they had been revoked, suspended, no driver’s license in any respect, no insurance coverage, that they had weapons on them, that they had warrants on them, that they had medicine within the automobile. It was a litany of these issues, to burglaries that had been solved that had simply occurred. As a result of now, you’re limiting the motion of dangerous guys since you’re not letting them run wild to do no matter they need to do.”

The Wisconsin DOT says in case your plates are peeling, light or broken, you possibly can request a brand new plate at wisconsindmv.gov/vreplace. To be able to make the request, drivers will want their driver’s license, social safety quantity, beginning date, certificates of registration and VIN variety of the automobile. A working printer will likely be essential to print out a brief plate in your window. The DOT says the brand new plates ought to be at your own home inside 4 weeks.

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