Del. Kirkland Cox (R-Colonial Heights), is sponsoring HB 420, which permits special number plates to applicants with asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease, and paralysis.<\/p>\n
Such number plates could be crucial in a traffic accident: They would alert emergency medical personnel and police that the driver might have a condition requiring special attention.<\/p>\n
Virginia offers dozens of special number plates. Ordinarily, a minimum number of people must order a type of plate before the state will produce it. However, Cox\u2019s bill says the medical-condition plates would be exempt from the 350 minimum-order requirement. The plates would be subject to a one-time fee of $15.<\/p>\n
The bill has been assigned to the House Transportation Committee, although the cost to implement the six plates — $30,000 according to a Cox aide, might make it hard to pass the proposal this year.<\/p>\n
Cox’s bill\u00a0was inspired by Becky Jackson, a Colonial Heights resident and mother of two diabetic children.<\/p>\n
Jackson had heard numerous stories of the police misinterpreting people with diabetes or other medical conditions as being under the influence of alcohol. In 2008 she suggested her license plate idea to Cox.<\/p>\n
Jackson implemented her idea personally\u00a010 years ago,\u00a0placing a marker on the windshield of her son\u2019s car. (Her son is an insulin-dependent diabetic.) The marker notes her son\u2019s medical condition and displays Jackson\u2019s contact information.<\/p>\n
Jackson said such information could be the difference between life and death.<\/p>\n
More news at Regplates.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Del. Kirkland Cox (R-Colonial Heights), is sponsoring HB 420, which permits special number plates to applicants with asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease, and paralysis. Such number plates could be crucial in a traffic accident: They would alert emergency medical personnel<\/p>\n