Quebec drivers with transparent plastic licence plate covers on their vehicles could soon be facing hefty fines.
Changes to Sections 251 and 333 of the Highway Safety Code prohibit the use of any materials that cover a licence plate and may consequently interfere with photo radar systems.
As of Aug. 19, photo radar systems will be used across the province to help ticket speeders. As a result, drivers of vehicles with these protective plates may receive a fine ranging from $200 to $1000.
At many car dealerships across the province, cars are sold equipped with these plates.
BMW in Laval is one of these dealerships. It issued a mailer to some 12,000 of its clients this week warning them of the change and offering to remove the plates free of charge.
"We just wanted to keep our customers informed about a new law. We just thought it was important for them to know," said Gerry Caputo, BMW Laval's marketing director.
The Code
Sections 251 and 333 of the Highway Safety Code state:
" 251. No person may: (...) (2) place any object or have any object placed on a road vehicle, or apply any material or have any material applied to a road vehicle, that is capable of interfering in any way with the normal operation of a photo radar device or a red light camera system or with the recording of registration plate information by the camera of such a radar device or camera system."
"333. No person may drive a road vehicle containing a radar warning device or on which is placed any object or to which is applied any material capable of interfering in any way with the normal operation of a radar device, or with the recording of registration plate information by the camera of a photo radar device or of a red light camera system."
