LANSING (AP) — Michigan officials recently released a revamped version of a state license plate that was once voted the world’s best after police complained it wasn’t easy enough to read.
Michael Yott Jr. of the St. Clair Shores Police collected more than 700 signatures on an online petition to replace the plates. He wanted to license plates to be removed because they had a very low roadway visibility, he told MLive.com.
“Sometimes the best way to identify vehicles on the road for purposes of suspect identification is by the license plate,” Yott said.
The old plates featured the Mackinac Bridge against a bright orange sunset with white letters. They were issued in August 2013 and were voted the world’s best license plates by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.
The redesigned plates have a more subtle yellow-orange background with black letters. They have now been in circulation for about a month, according to Secretary of State spokesman Fred Woodhams.
“We made some changes to the design after a year to ensure it can be very easily read in all conditions, particularly at night. The letters are black now, but the design and color scheme are largely the same,” he said.
The new plates were tested by the Michigan State Police and the Secretary of State at a closed driving track in Lansing.
