Commonly known as a “whiskey plate” and sometimes a “party plate,” these are license plates that are given out to people who have been convicted of a DUI. The plates are mainly used in Ohio and Minnesota, where they’re a different color than the standard plates that other drivers use, making them easily visible to other motorists and police officers.
In Georgia, these plates may also be used. While they do show that a person has gotten a DUI in the past, the important difference is that they’re the same color as the standard plates, so they don’t stand out as much at a glance.
Some people are against these plates on the grounds that they may prove to be an embarrassment. These people argue that humiliation of someone with a license suspension, and not safety, is the only goal here, and so they think the plates are not a just punishment.
Plus, some people have noted that those who share a vehicle and an address–a married couple with one car, for instance–would then both have to drive a car with whiskey plates. A person who had never taken a drink in his or her life, much less been arrested for a DUI, could then be branded as a high-risk driver.
Others, though, point out that being able to see high-risk drivers could help to avoid accidents. It could also show police officers people to keep an eye on if they’re driving erratically. They argue that even a small increase in safety is worth it, whether or not the person behind the wheel feels embarrassed by the plates.
When facing a license suspension, it’s important to know about all of the legal ramifications, including the possible use of whiskey plates.
Source: LifeSafer, “A DUI Could Mean a ‘Scarlet Letter’ License Plate,” accessed Oct. 09, 2015