DUI License Plates, Another Consequence of Conviction

As a DUI lawyer in Chicago, the thought of having separate license plats for those convicted of DUI sounds drastic. But, it may surprise you that the state of Ohio has been issuing special license plates to those of convicted of drunk driving since 1967. One would assume that this would halt the number of alcohol related fatalities and decrease the number of crashes, but the number of alcohol-related fatalities in Ohio has increased since the plates were instated.

Since the law was changed, the number of restricted plates in Ohio has risen to more than 46,000. The distinctive yellow-and-red plates act as a signifier of those convicted of DUI. The one other state that enforces the different “restricted” plates for offenders is Minnesota. It since has been reduced and adjusted to eliminate first-time offenders with a blood-alcohol level below .17 percent.

Some DUI lawyers in Chicago and across the country think that if drunk drivers are singled out, then other plates should be issued for other types of offenders such as armed robbers and child molesters. What about those wrongly convicted of DUI who have to suffer the stigma of these plates? Others argue that driving is a privilege, not a right, and if drunk drivers feel some humiliation while driving with a special plate, then that may act as a deterrent for future offenses and for other drivers.