We knew the warm winter weather wouldn’t last. Now that we have had our first snow let’s talk about cleaning the snow off our cars. Everybody knows they are required to clean their windshields before driving. Snow and ice covered windows are as dangerous as driving and sleeping at the same time. If you can’t see out, you may as well have your eyes closed.

What else should we clean the snow and ice off of before driving? How about your headlights and tail lights? What about your license plates and back up lights? I know a lot of people don’t bother using their turn signals, but it is still required by law to give indication of your intent before making a direction change.

Yes, I included license plates ad needing to be cleaned and free of any obstruction. This is not a safety issue, but is required for identification purposes. When you are scraping the windows, a quick swipe with the scraper will clean the plate off and maybe prevent being pulled over for failure to display a valid vehicle registration (license plates).

Yes police do pull vehicles over for failing to clearly display license plates. It is the first indicator that the vehicle may be unregistered, fictitious or even stolen. Since a suspended person cannot renew their license plates, or purchase insurance we often catch people for DUS. These people lost their driving privileges and are a danger to society and cost law abiding citizens lots of money.

So when cleaning the snow off your windows remember the lights and license plates. Following is just one of the sections dealing with clearly displaying license plates.

4503.21 [Effective Until 1/1/2017] Display of license plates and validation stickers or temporary license placard or windshield sticker

(A) No person who is the owner or operator of a motor vehicle shall fail to display in plain view on the front and rear of the motor vehicle the distinctive number and registration mark, including any county identification sticker and any validation sticker issued under sections 4503.19 and 4503.191 of the Revised Code, furnished by the director of public safety, except that a manufacturer of motor vehicles or dealer therein, the holder of an in transit permit, and the owner or operator of a motorcycle, cab-enclosed motorcycle, motorized bicycle, manufactured home, mobile home, trailer, or semitrailer shall display on the rear only. A motor vehicle that is issued two license plates shall display the validation sticker only on the rear license plate, except that a commercial tractor that does not receive an apportioned license plate under the international registration plan shall display the validation sticker on the front of the commercial tractor. An apportioned vehicle receiving an apportioned license plate under the international registration plan shall display the license plate only on the front of a commercial tractor and on the rear of all other vehicles. All license plates shall be securely fastened so as not to swing, and shall not be covered by any material that obstructs their visibility.

No person to whom a temporary license placard or windshield sticker has been issued for the use of a motor vehicle under section 4503.182 of the Revised Code, and no operator of that motor vehicle, shall fail to display the temporary license placard in plain view from the rear of the vehicle either in the rear window or on an external rear surface of the motor vehicle, or fail to display the windshield sticker in plain view on the rear window of the motor vehicle. No temporary license placard or windshield sticker shall be covered by any material that obstructs its visibility.

(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. Amended by 131st General Assembly File eff. 7/1/2015.Effective Date: 01-01-2004

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