OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - The way you register a newly purchased car will officially change September 1. The change comes after a horrifying crash that is now almost 7 months in the rearview mirror.
"The support has been amazing and Mason has had such healing,” Mason Treat’s mom Maressa said.
Maressa and Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat’s son Mason was in his Dodge Charger on the side of I-40 in Yukon after he was pulled over back in January.
"Good morning. The reason I stopped you is you have no tag on your vehicle. Is there a reason for that?" the deputy said in dash camera video.
"Yes, sir," Treat responded.
The car was bought from a private seller. Currently, people who buy a car privately have 60 days to register and tag the vehicle. The law changed a few years ago, but some in law enforcement are unaware due to dealership purchases being a different process. 14 minutes into that stop is when disaster happened.
A pickup truck traveling approximately 70 mph on I-40 crashed into the Charger, also striking the officer.
Fast forward to Wednesday, July 31, where a ceremonial signing was done for the Mason Treat Act.
"Means a lot to have everyone to show support for me and see everyone cares,” Mason Treat said following the signing.
It’s a law efforting to streamline vehicle registration in Oklahoma.
“The idea is to try to limit the number of paper tags that are on the streets in Oklahoma,” CEO of Service Oklahoma Jay Doyle said.
It starts Sept. 1. New cars, whether bought privately or through a dealer, have to be pre-registered within two days of the purchase. Dealers usually handle that part. If it’s a private sale though, it can be done online or in person by the buyer or seller at a tag agency.
"Tag agents will send the metal plate to your house of your residential address,” Doyle said.
The metal plate has to go on the car within ten days of the purchase. It will come with pre-registration decals to put on it showing you’ve pre-registered. From there, you have 60 days to fully register the car by getting the title and tax paid for. It’s a new law the Treat’s hope will fix any confusion.
"We hope we close that gap and we protect people like Mason and we protect people like the deputy who were severely injured in this accident,” Greg Treat said.
There is no extra cost during the process. Officials said if you trade a car or buy one privately and keep your same plate, you can just get the decals to put on it for preregistration.
More details can be found on the Service Oklahoma website.
