A police road safety operation focusing on motorists with fake registration plates and unregistered vehicles has launched across Queensland today.
The three-month operation code named Operation Quebec Yield will also involve officers targeting drivers for red light, mobile phone and seat belt offences.
Road Policing Command Superintendent David Johnson said police had recently noticed an increase in the number of fake or cloned number plates on Queensland roads.
"We know those with false number plates are more likely to commit traffic offences and other criminal offences which puts our community at risk," Superintendent Johnson said.
"Police use registration plates to trace stolen vehicles and vehicles involved in crime and life-endangering traffic offences such as disobeying red lights and speeding."
Superintendent Johnson said motorists without proper vehicle registration are also not paying their fair share as a road user.
"It also means the State Government has to foot the bill when motorists without insurance coverage cause crashes and injure others on our roads," he said.
"In the last five years more than 70 people have lost their lives on our roads in crashes involving an unregistered vehicle while many more have been hospitalised and require medical treatment."
The operation will include:
• Officers diligently checking all number plates on intercepted vehicles to ensure they are compliant;
• Educating motorists on how to replace standard and accessory plates where appropriate;
• Using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to detect unregistered/uninsured vehicles;
• Targeting drivers who run red lights, are distracted by their mobile phone or are not wearing their seat belts.
Operation Quebec Yield will run from November 1, 2018 until January 31, 2019.
FAST FACTS
Between 2013 and 2017:
• 352 claims made and more than $19 million in settlement payments from the State due to crashes involving unregistered vehicles
• 271,865 motorists were issued with fines for unregistered vehicles
• 45,310 infringement notices were issued for registration plate offences
• 175,767 red light infringements were issued in Queensland
• 156 fatalities were recorded where the vehicle occupant was unrestrained
• 67,400 infringements were issued for seatbelt offences
