DATE: Tuesday, March 18, 1997               TAG: 9703180291

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Public Safety 

SOURCE: Naomi Aoki

LENGTH: 30 lines

MOTORIST WOULD NOT BE JAILED FOR EXPIRED TAGS

I was stopped by a police officer for having expired license plate tags. The officer told me that I could go to jail for 30 days since it was the second time I'd been stopped. Could that be true?

Normally, having expired license plate tags is considered a regular traffic infraction and carries a fine of no more than $200, a Department of Motor Vehicle spokeswoman said. The charge and fine are the same regardless of how many times you get stopped. And no, you would not be sent to jail.

But the spokeswoman offered a word of warning. A police officer might decide to charge you with something else, such as reckless driving, which could mean stiffer penalties.

My wife says that, in some situations, it's actually legal to turn left at a red light. That can't be true, can it?

Your wife knows her rules of the road. If you are turning from a one-way street onto another one-way street and there is no sign prohibiting the turn, then it is legal to make a left turn at the red light - after coming to a full stop, of course.

You can look it up. It's in the Department of Motor Vehicles Virginia Driver's Manual.

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