Licence plate should follow owner not car, says taxi driver
Doug McCarthy believes rule change would mean fewer illegal drivers on the roads
A St. John's taxi driver says the Newfoundland and Labrador government could make a change that would reduce the number of people driving illegally.
Doug McCarthy says anyone who sells a vehicle should be required to remove the licence plates, so the new owner would be forced to get a new one.
Develop the intestinal fortitude to do something about it.- Doug McCarthy
"The only way that you are going to get a plate is if you prove to the province that one, you are licensed to drive and two, that you have the appropriate insurance in place for that vehicle so that you can put a plate on it," he said.
McCarthy believes unlicensed, uninsured, unregistered drivers are pushing up the cost of vehicle insurance. He says they are also road hazards.
"Don't put my life in jeopardy. And as far as the province is concerned, develop the intestinal fortitude to do something about it," he said.
Province considering change
The RNC says so far in 2017, officers have issued 1,622 tickets for expired registrations. That compares with 2,223 tickets last year, and 1,927 in 2015.
In an emailed statement provincial officials tell CBC News that they're looking at McCarthy's proposal, something that is done in most other Canadian provinces.
"Service NL has received feedback from the St. John's Taxi Alliance and the general public advocating for a plate-to-owner model of motor vehicle registration," wrote a government spokesperson.
This issue exists in many jurisdictions, including in provinces where the plate-to-owner model is currently in use.- Service NL
"The government is evaluating the feasibility of reconfiguring the Motor Registration Division's computer system for this purpose."
However, the statement also questioned if the proposed change will have the desired result.
"While advocates for this model have stated that it would reduce the number of drivers operating motor vehicles without a driver's licence, registration and/or insurance, this issue exists in many jurisdictions, including in provinces where the plate-to-owner model is currently in use," the statement read.
"This suggests that a multi-faceted approach may be necessary to achieve the desired result."
Service NL said the problem of uninsured vehicles is also being examined through the auto insurance review that is currently being conducted by the Public Utilities Board.