Comment by kube-system

License plates signify an owners initial registration. That’s it.

> license plates ensure drivers have had basic training

No, that’s what a drivers license does.

> and that the vehicle has been inspected for basic safety and emissions standards.

Most states (even ones that do require those inspections) issue license plates without these.

> To police, the license plates offer a way to find out who the driver is.

They really don’t, because vehicles are frequently driven by people who did not register them.