January 29, 2010 - 11:32am

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Marylanders who repeatedly drink and drive could be required to have special yellow license plates that read "DUI."

The Prince George's County lawmaker behind the proposal says it is important for people to be aware of who is sharing the road with them.

Delegate Marvin E. Holmes Jr.'s bill would mandate the plates for five years for anybody who has been convicted of drunken driving three times.

Maryland officials say there are 2,029 drivers in the state who would be required to have the plates.

Similar bills have been introduced in the past but failed to win approval. Officials with AAA Mid-Atlantic told members of the House Judiciary Committee Thursday that other states have been adopting similar measures.

___

On the Net:

Read House Bill 164: http://mlis.state.md.us/2010rs...4.pdf

Information from The Baltimore Sun

 

They need to pass a bill like that in CA, everyday on the news there are people involved in drunk driving and causing a lot of problems.

 

anybody that's been convicted of DUI 3 times shouldn't be issued license plates!

 

There are over 2000 repeat drunk drivers in that state? How about just not letting them drive after the first or second conviction?

 

I like it

 

i am all for this idea.

 

I think its a good idea. Even if somebody looses their drivers license because of repeat DUI, they can still drive without the license, but if they have these DUI plates, cops will pay more attention to them.

 

Exactly, if they do it once, ok, fine everyone makes mistakes, but 2-3 times and still let them drive legally?

 

Interesting idea. No doubt there's a huge toll related to drunk drivers.

 

I see this as a gimmick that won't necessarily solve the problem. Habitual DUI/DWI drivers, IMO, should be off the road, PERIOD, not driving around with bright-colored plates. A drunk, on the road, with gimmicky license plates is potentially as dangerous as a drunk with any other plates. They should be MAKING license plates, not driving around with them.

How about if it is a family car (say, Dad's) and someone else in the family (mom, son, daughter, etc....) is driving it? It would be like a perfectly straight, normal guy with a clean record having to wear a sex-offender badge in public.


Not to get too far off-topic, but PG County (I know the place well...it's just across the river from my own Fairfax County, VA) is one of the most crime-ridden jurisdictions in the U.S......its violent crime rate, in particular, is a national disgrace, similiar to many notorious places like Detroit, New Orleans, Compton, CA, NE/SE Washington DC, Bronx NYC, etc...Though there is nothing wrong, of course, with trying to deal with drunk driving, PG has many other crimes to deal with as well....some even worse.

Again, why give them plates if they are not fit to drive? IMO, it doesn't make sense.

 

Exactly.