Surge in police fines for unreadable number plates

Motorists should make sure their registration plate is readable at all times. Sometimes number plates are so dirty that no distinction can be made between the different letters or numbers. Police are on the alert and can stop drivers just because their number isn't readable. Fines for the offence were doubled last year, from 50 to 110 euros.

While 499 tickets were written in 2012, no fewer than 1,812 were issued last year. "Motorbike riders fold their number plate deliberately to be able to speed past speed traps", says Peter Dewaele of the federal police. "Some car drivers let their license plate become dirty. When we stop them, they react with surprise. They have to know that this is against the law." Others deliberately fail to take care of the license plate in order to have it become illegible. One or two symbols that give rise to confusion can be enough to escape fines from speeding cameras.