Mason Treat Act Now in Effect to Enhance Driver Safety in Oklahoma
KOKH - September 3, 2024 6:01 am
Supporters and students gather for the ceremonial bill signing of the Mason Treat Act in July 2024.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KOKH) — It has been eight months since Oklahoma Senator Greg Treat’s son was injured during a routine traffic stop. This week, the Mason Treat Act is now in effect in an effort to improve road safety for drivers and law enforcement.
Mason Treat was pulled over in January of this year for not having a tag on his car. While he was pulled over, another driver crashed into Mason’s car.
“People are like ‘why was he driving without a tag?’ Because, that’s what Oklahoma law required,” Greg Treat said on August 8. “If I bought a car from you, until September 1 you keep that tag and then I if I don’t have a tag, for instance I was buying a car for a 16-year-old he didn’t have a tag already associated with him. He had to drive around for two months without a tag, and that’s the reason he was pulled over.”
Greg Treat took the issue to the Oklahoma Capitol.
“Currently, Oklahoma statues are entirely inconsistent,” Treat said on the Senate floor. “That’s the reason my son was on the side of the road.”
This resulted in the passage of the Mason Treat Act, which took effect Sunday.
Here’s what drivers need to know:
A temporary paper tag is only good for ten days after you buy a car in Oklahoma.
As for private sales, temporary tags can be printed after documentation is sent to Service Oklahoma.
Through a new pre-registration process, buyers need to get a metal license plate and temporary decals.
Once the pre-registration process is complete, drivers will still have two months from when they bought the car to fully register it.
The law requires dealers and sellers to enter purchase information and submit it to Service Oklahoma every 24 hours. They also have to complete pre-registration within two days of purchase.
These changes all in an effort to improve safety for drivers.
“I’m extremely proud of Mason, though,” Greg Treat said. “Mason is a walking miracle.”
