What Are Stealth Plate Sprays and Are They Illegal in the UK?

As technology advances, so do the methods individuals use to evade detection from traffic enforcement cameras. One of these methods includes the use of stealth plate sprays. This article explores what stealth plate sprays are, how they function, and examines their legality in the United Kingdom.

Understanding Stealth Plate Sprays

Stealth plate sprays are marketed as substances that can obscure or reflect traffic enforcement cameras' ability to capture vehicle license plate numbers effectively. These sprays claim to create a glossy coat over the license plate, which can reflect the camera's flash, rendering the plate unreadable or obscured in photographs.

How Stealth Plate Sprays Work

These sprays are typically designed to work against both speed cameras and red-light cameras. Here's a basic rundown of how they purportedly function:

• The spray creates a reflective surface on the license plate.
• When a traffic enforcement camera takes a picture using a flash, the reflective surface is supposed to bounce the flash back, causing a bright glare.
• This glare can potentially wash out the characters on the plate in the captured image, making identification difficult or impossible.

The Legality of Stealth Plate Sprays in the UK

In the United Kingdom, the use of stealth plate sprays is considered illegal. The legal framework surrounding vehicle registration plates is strict, designed to ensure that plates are easily readable by both human eyes and cameras.

According to the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001, any modifications that obstruct or impair the ability to read the registration number are prohibited. Given that stealth plate sprays intentionally attempt to obscure the visibility of number plates, their usage is illegal.

Penalties for the usage of such sprays include fines, points on the driver's license, or even prosecution if it is deemed that there was an intention to deliberately avoid traffic enforcement measures.

Conclusion

Stealth plate sprays are presented as a technological means to bypass traffic enforcement but fall foul of the law in several jurisdictions, including the UK. Drivers should be aware that using such products not only poses a risk of legal consequences but also undermines road safety measures designed to protect drivers and pedestrians alike. For responsible driving, it is advisable to adhere to all traffic regulations and ensure that all vehicle registration plates are clearly visible and free from any obstructions or alterations.