License Plates...?

I noticed that most states in the northeast have license plates in both the front and back of the vehicle. Why is that?
License Plates...?
Because the majority of the states require it.
License Plates...?
So that it becomes easier to give you a ticket if you pass a red light on one of those cameras.
Reply:It's a law in most states for the car to have a license plate in both front and rear. It's a law in California and Texas too. So it's not just the northeast.
Reply:In most states the one plate deal is done to save money. I'm from NY, a two plate state (hey that rhymes!).





A buddy of mine who's an NY cop told me its because they want to see you coming and going as NY has a high crime rate in the urban areas.





One plate states have also said its because the cops really only look at the plate when they're following someone.





I've searched for this answer on the web in the past and have never really found a great answer.





EDIT, HERE IS SOME INFO FROM WIKIPEDIA:





Many American states are now strictly enforcing laws that require vehicles to display two license plates (on the rear and front of the vehicle).[3] One possible benefit of front license plates is to increase the effectiveness of red-light cameras, which work only if a vehicle can be linked back to its registered owner. Opponents of two license plates usually do not like front plates on certain sports cars and historic cars because of their visual obtrusiveness from the vehicle. (For example, a Car and Driver reader wrote in to the magazine to point out that the Mazda RX8 looks like Bugs Bunny when so equipped.) They argue that they add cost to production, use resources (metal), create double the amount of waste and do not give police any extra tool in recovering stolen vehicles.





California is one of an increasing number of states whose law requiring a front license plate on all vehicles is being petitioned. The petitions are traditionally the result of effort put forth by motorists and car auto enthusiasts who prefer the clean, unobstructed viewing of the front fascia and grille of their vehicle and see little or no practicality in having a front plate on display. Some argue that the presence of a front license plate means unnecessary damage when mounting hardware comes into contact with the bumper of another vehicle. Variations on placement include displaying the front plate inside the vehicle between the dash board and front windshield, having both a state-issued and vanity plate insert on display, and having only a vanity plate insert on display. Police officers frequently cite motorists whose vehicles do not comply with California Vehicle Code section 5200, giving the offender the opportunity to correct the offense.





The petition, originally drafted by William Shaw, argues that not having a front plate on display does not interfere with law enforcement and states, "in the 20 or more states that have abolished the front license plate requirement, there is no evidence of a decline in public safety as a result of the plate removal."[4]





In the U.S. states of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts (most plates issued prior to 1988 - see note below), Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia, however, license plates are currently only required on the rear of the vehicle. Some vanity and specialty plates in Arizona and Kansas are issued in pairs, but only the rear plate is required to be displayed; the optional front plate is something of a bonus for paying an extra fee for the plate.





Massachusetts is a unique case for license plate mounting. Before the introduction of the current "Spirit of America" base starting in 1986 for commercial vehicles and vanity plates and 1988 for all other vehicles, the state issued only a single green-on-white plate to be mounted on the rear bumper. With the current-issue base, two plates are issued, to be mounted on both the front and rear bumpers. Since all license plates issued since 1978 are currently valid, most passenger vehicles registered in Massachusetts display two plates, and those with the older green-on-white plates only display one.
Reply:Here in Illinois it has always been two plates. The original reason may sound far out but the truth usually is. Jail inmates made the plates for cars for years and of course that's about the cheapest labor there is. It also provided an activity for the prisoners to do. That's for real.