It seems that the police around here don't notice expired plates that often. I recently discovered that my plates had been expired for a year. OOPS! (I had moved and the renewal notice never got to me.) When you only drive it once a week or so, it's easy to forget things. It just never occured to me that it was long past expired. Yes I went to the DMV the day after I realized it.

A drunk, unlicensed, uninsured neighbor backed his car into my parked car a few years ago. Cops knew him as a habitual offender but they didn't do much. I was pretty lucky that he did give me cash for the cost of estimated repairs ($2000). It was a 15yo car, so I pocketed the cash and kept driving it. He kept driving too.

Seems that many of the car accidents I hear about around here mention no drivers lic and no ins. My SO grew up in San Diego and he says it's much worse there.