Readers respond: Obscured license plates make roads dangerous

Although it is against the law in Oregon, many people cover or obscure their license plates, which makes the roads riskier for both pedestrians and other drivers.

Anyone who drives on Portland-area streets can’t help but notice that, although the majority of automobiles follow the speed limit, a sizable and expanding minority drive as though the laws don’t apply to them. A considerable and increasing percentage of cars rush through newly turned red lights, hardly even slow down for stop signs, and completely disregard crosswalks, even though the majority of drivers in the Portland region stop at red lights, stop signs, and crosswalks. Anyone who pays close attention will see that these criminals, who increase everyone’s risk of traffic accidents, frequently share concealed license plates that are invisible to traffic cameras.

While some employ a badly scratched transparent license plate cover, others affix one with a dark tint. Some even purchase pricey polarized coverings, which appear reasonably clear to the naked eye but interfere with camera lenses to produce dark photographs.

In light of the increasing number of traffic accidents, especially those involving bikers and pedestrians, local and state police must work together to enforce the law by issuing tickets to any vehicle with a hidden license plate. At the same time, the Oregon lawmakers ought to think about toughening the penalty for willfully hiding license plates.