Florida could soon be getting new license plates.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, state officials want to replace the familiar green and white plates with a plate that's easier read. They say the switch would save the state money, in part because the more visible design would help law enforcement agencies identify drivers who don't pay tolls.
Almost one in six digital images is declared unreadable at toll booths by for the Florida Turnpike Enterprise, according to the Times. Combined with other problems across the state, taxpayers lose at least $7 million a year.
The emergence of red-light cameras in many communities has heightened the need for a more readable plate.
The new tag, which has already been designed, would be flat, with seven bold black letters and numbers defined by a white background. County names will be replaced with the words "Sunshine State" or the state motto, "In God We Trust," on standard tags.
Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet would have to approve the switch, which would take place over two years.
Although state officials say the switch would come at no cost to motorists, some county tax collectors challenge that claim and have opposed a plan to outsource the distribution of tags by a private, for-profit vendor.
Florida's current plate, with its six green letters and numbers and orange blossom in the middle, has been in existence for about a decade.