A single licence plate design on all registered Prince Edward Island vehicles will improve safety by ensuring all vehicles are equipped with a fully reflective plate that’s easily identifiable by law enforcement, says Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Robert Vessey.
“Licence plates are an important tool for law enforcement in keeping our roads safe,” said the minister. “We’ve heard clearly from law enforcement that many of the licence plates on Island roads are no longer reflective and are difficult to see or can’t be seen at all, particularly at night.”
A new plate that showcases Prince Edward Island’s unique place in history as the Birthplace of Confederation by highlighting historic Province House will be issued this fall.
This new, reflective plate will replace existing licence plates currently on vehicles. These include the green and white Prince Edward Island plates, the Anne of Green Gables plates, the Confederation Bridge plates, the Province House plates, and the windmill plates. The plate will be available in English and French.
The designs for the plates for veterans, automobile dealerships and transporter plates will remain unchanged.
“The introduction of the new style licence plate is welcome news to the law enforcement community on Prince Edward Island,” says Chief Paul Smith of the Charlottetown Police Services.
“The change to a single style, highly reflective licence plate, will reduce confusion with various plate styles and ease vehicle identification, which will ultimately lead to improved enforcement and safer roadways.”
Vehicle owners will have a year to replace their existing plates and can do so by visiting any Access PEI site or by requesting one when renewing their vehicle registration online, beginning in September. Anyone who has purchased a licence plate within one year of the newly designed plate being issued will receive the new plate at no cost.
“Having a single plate that is identifiably from Prince Edward Island is a safety tool and helps create a strong identity for our province as we prepare to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Charlottetown Conference in 2014,” said the minister. “Government will continue to work with law enforcement to create safer roads for Islanders.”