New York authorities are intensifying their efforts to remove “Ghost Cars” from the streets of New York City and across the state. These vehicles, notorious for utilizing forged or altered license plates to evade tolls and traffic regulations, are now the target of a newly launched multi-agency task force.
Understanding Ghost Cars
The term “ghost cars” refers to vehicles deliberately equipped with license plates that have been manipulated or fabricated. This tactic is employed to make the vehicles untraceable by traffic enforcement cameras and toll systems. By obscuring or changing characters on their plates, drivers of ghost cars aim to avoid accountability for traffic violations, toll evasion, and, as officials highlight, more serious criminal activities.
Multi-Agency Task Force Deployed
In a joint announcement made on Tuesday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and MTA Chair Janno Lieber unveiled a significant initiative to combat the rise of ghost cars. This task force, uniting city and state agencies, is dedicated to identifying, impounding, and cracking down on vehicles operating with fraudulent license plates.
The operation commenced on Monday, and within the first day, authorities reported substantial results. Seventy-three vehicles were impounded, 282 summonses were issued, and eight individuals were arrested.
Mayor Adams emphasized the necessity of this crackdown, stating, “There’s a body of people who have made up their minds that they think that they can escape the law, and it’s not going to happen.” He further connected ghost cars to broader criminal concerns, noting their use in “serious actions that they use in these ghost vehicles, such as shootings, robberies, and hit-and-runs.”
Methods of Plate Alteration
NYPD Chief of Transportation, Phil Rivera, explained the simple yet effective methods drivers use to create ghost plates. “Some people are fixing pieces of tape to obscure one of the letters, or two alternate, or if you have like a ‘p’ they putting a piece of tape that makes it look like a ‘b’ or a ‘6’,” Rivera detailed. These alterations, though often rudimentary, are enough to confuse automated systems and evade detection.
NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban indicated that the task force is initially planned to operate on a monthly basis, with aspirations to increase its frequency to bi-weekly, particularly during the summer months when more vehicles, including mopeds, are on the roads.
Legislative Actions to Increase Penalties
Governor Hochul is also advocating for legislative changes to strengthen the penalties associated with ghost cars. The proposed legislation aims to increase fines and sanctions for both drivers using “ghost plates” and individuals involved in selling devices designed to conceal license plates. These measures signal a comprehensive approach to tackling the issue, combining on-the-ground enforcement with legal deterrents.
