Each one of us is on the road on almost every day of our life. The monotonous travel of reaching our work place is made interesting with some innovative and quirky number plates of the vehicles in front of us.
“Cool boyz”, “jatt”, “jai mata di”, “boss”, “blacklisted”, the devil’s sign, the evil eye: These are some of the very common figures seen on the number plates of two and four wheeler vehicles on the Indian roads.
While these phrases and images become a source of our minute long amusement, we never realize the legality of using such distracting stickers on the number plates of our vehicles. Did you know that it is a traffic violation to not have a clear and readable number plate on our vehicle?
Think about this: What is the purpose behind a number plate? Why is it compulsory for every vehicle to have one? Why is it mandatory to drive a vehicle with front and rear number plates in place? Why are there specific colours allotted to the number plates of different types of vehicles?
Most of the crimes involve a vehicle. And it becomes easier for the police to catch the culprit if they have the identification of that vehicle. This is only possible if the number plate of the vehicle is readable and clear, without any distractions or rule violations.
The fine for having a modified and self-edited number plate varies from state to state in India. While most states levy fines ranging from Rs.100 to Rs.1000, other states simply remove the plate and you are forced to get a new one. Check with your state’s traffic police website to know the penalty in your state.
Prevention is always better than cure. Laws are made for the public in their interest. Follow the law, and stay safe. Happy Driving!
