Crackdown on cars with fancy plates, HID lights starts today, says report
The Malaysian Insider – 6 hours agoRELATED CONTENT
- Crackdown on cars with fancy plates, HID lights starts today, says report
The Road Transport Department (RTD) will begin today a nationwide crackdown on motorists who have their vehicles outfitted with fancy number plates, strobe lights and unapproved high intensity discharge (HID) headlamps.
The Star, quoting director-general of RTD Datuk Seri Ismail Ahmad reported that about 1,500 personnel will be involved in the joint operation with police and the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).
The authorities will conduct checks in hot spots, including all cities and major towns.
“We have given motorists enough warnings not to use modified registration plates and unapproved HID headlamps. The time for compromises is over. No excuses will be entertained," he said.
Over the past few months, authorities issued several warnings of a possible crackdown and gave vehicle owners some leeway to remedy the situation before action was taken.
Federal Traffic Police chief SAC Mohd Fuad Abdul Latiff was reported as saying that the police had noticed an increasing trend of violations over the past years.
Criminals too, he said were taking advantage of the trend by installing fancy licence plates and heavy tinting on their getaway vehicles to avoid identification.
Meanwhile, The Star reported that a compoundable fine of between RM100 and RM250 would be issued to owners of cars and motorcycles above 250cc who breach the rules on number plates.
For those with motorcycles below 250cc, the fine is between RM70 and RM200.
As for the HID headlamps, Ismail told The Star that units using Xenon gas instead of filaments were not allowed except in cases where changes had been made to the vehicle’s whole lighting system with accreditation from the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (Sirim).
“Retrofitted HID which is too strong can disrupt other road users’ vision and risk their safety,” he told the English daily.
As for strobe or beacon lights, Ismail said private vehicles were barred from installing such devices.
The fine for illegal use of strobe lights and HID headlamps is between RM100 and RM250.
On heavily tinted vehicle windshields and windows, Ismail told The Star that RTD had postponed the date to May 1 next year. – November 1, 2014.
