There are many reasons why New Jersey should keep its law requiring front license plates.
That license plate on the front bumper of your car - nuisance or necessity?
A state senator is pushing for New Jersey to become the 20th state to eliminate the front plate, suggesting that it adds an extra financial burden to Garden State drivers. Supporters would add that it's downright unsightly to boot.
Samuel D. Thompson (R-Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties) says he introduced the bill in response to complaints from constituents about the additional fees.
As much we sympathize with the owners of the 6.8 million vehicles registered in the state (as of 2014), especially given the high costs of living here, jettisoning the front plate wouldn't be the wisest of moves.
A study by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute noted that the protocol of using two plates has been around for more than nine decades, primarily to help law-enforcement officials make identifications in traffic accidents and criminal activities.
Should N.J. ditch the front license plate?
The study compared one-plate states (Pennsylvania and Arizona) with two-plate states (Maryland and Texas), concluding that front plates were easier to read in the daytime because of sun glare, and the absence of those tags made it easier for toll violators to slip by undetected.
In Iowa, where residents are debating the issue, the president of the Iowa State Sheriffs & Deputies Association told the Des Moines Register he's firmly opposed to moving toward a one-plate policy.
"Not having that front plate cuts the chances of seeing the suspect's license plates in half," said Maj. John Godar of the Linn County Sheriff's Office. "We think it would be a step backward for public safety."
In Ohio, a legislative task studying transportation issues said the front plates are a valuable, cost-effective tool for helping police and private citizens identify possible perpetrators, and recommended against changing the longstanding practice in the Buckeye State.
These arguments a lot of sense.
Will you get a ticket for not having a plate?
Having tags front and back plays an important role not just in tracking vehicles and keeping tabs on surveillance camera footage, but also in helping the public respond to Amber Alerts when a youngster is missing and may have been abducted.
For those who argue that front plates detract from the aesthetics and aerodynamics of a jazzy high-end car, we have three words: Get over yourselves.
We've been down this road before in New Jersey. This marks the third time the senator has offered up his one-plate measure. The last two times, the Senate Transportation Committee didn't even release it.
Indiana and Utah are also among states that have floated the idea, only to have it shot down.
We're all for economizing, but let's give law-enforcement all the tools they need to get the job done right.
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